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NASA Science Soars During August Total Solar Eclipse - NASA Science
NASA will use a high-altitude WB-57 jet and scientific balloons to study the Sun's corona and Earth's atmosphere during the August 12, 2026 total solar eclipse. The mission targets Greenland, Iceland, and Spain to investigate solar dynamics and atmospheric reactions.
Why it matters
Researching the Sun is important because its activity impacts satellites, astronauts in space, and daily life on Earth.
The details
- A WB-57 jet at 50,000 feet will take high-resolution images of the corona.
- Balloons in Iceland will monitor changes to the atmosphere's ground-touching boundary layer.
- Teams in Spain will use balloons to measure ozone levels during the eclipse.
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In this article
Key connections
NASA developed the SAMI multispectral airborne imager.
Kelly Korreck leads NASA
Eclipse program manager at NASA Headquarters.
Amir Caspi works at Southwest Research Institute
Principal investigator at Southwest Research Institute.
Angela Des Jardins leads Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project
Leads the Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project.
Angela Des Jardins works at Montana State University
Faculty lead at Montana State University.
Matthew Bernards works at University of Idaho
Chemical engineering professor at the University of Idaho.
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Montana State University leads Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project
Montana State University leads the Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project.
University of Kentucky is a member of Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project
Participates in the Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project.
University of Idaho is a member of Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project
Participates in the Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project.
Virginia Tech is a member of Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project
Participates in the Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project.
Southwest Research Institute is a partner of NASA
Partners with NASA on solar eclipse research experiments.
NASA operates WB-57 high-altitude research aircraft to chase the Moon's shadow and image the solar corona
NASA funds Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project
NASA funds the Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project.
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