Proba-3’s Solar Coronagraph Reveals the Inner Corona in Unprecedented Detail

Image from Sener

ESA Proba-3 mission released groundbreaking materials from its formation-flying solar coronagraph, showing the inner solar corona with clarity never before achieved from space. The mission uses two spacecraft flying in precise formation, with one acting as an occulter to block the bright solar disk and the other capturing faint coronal light. This “artificial solar eclipse” lets scientists observe structures close to the sun that were previously obscured by glare. Proba-3’s observations help fill a long-standing gap in solar physics by showing how magnetic fields shape the corona and drive features such as prominences and mass ejections. These data are crucial for understanding space weather that can impact satellites and power grids on Earth. The success of this mission hinges on both the sophisticated optical systems and the advanced materials that make formation flying possible.

Materials and Mechanics Behind the Mission

The key to Proba-3’s success is the mechanical precision of its formation-flying spacecraft and the advanced materials in the ASPIICS coronagraph. The occulter and telescope must maintain separation to within mere millimeters while orbiting Earth at high speed. This requires robust structural materials that resist thermal distortion and state-of-the-art positioning systems that can make tiny adjustments on the fly. Meanwhile the coronagraph’s optical surfaces and coatings enable it to block sunlight effectively and capture faint coronal signals. Together, these mechanical and materials innovations allow scientists to watch intricate coronal dynamics in real time. Such technologies also have broader applications for formation flying and precision observations in future astronomy missions.