Q. Which space agency launched Proba-3 mission to create an artificial solar eclipse and study the sun’s atmosphere?
Answer: European Space Agency (ESA)
Notes: The European Space Agency launched Proba-3 from India to study the Sun’s corona using artificial solar eclipses created by precise satellite alignment. An artificial solar eclipse mimics a natural one, using two satellites to block sunlight and create a controlled shadow. The Coronagraph Spacecraft (CSC) observes the Sun, while the Occulter (OSC) casts a shadow, maintaining millimetres-level alignment for up to six hours per orbit. It allows extended study of the Sun’s corona, far longer than natural eclipses. The mission aids in understanding corona mysteries, predicting geomagnetic storms, and mitigating satellite disruptions.

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