Europe's Proba-3 Solar Mission Faces Communication Loss with One Satellite

Europe's Proba-3 mission, designed to study the Sun's corona using two satellites flying in precise formation, has encountered a problem. In February 2026, the Coronagraph spacecraft lost attitude control, causing its solar panels to stop facing the Sun and its battery to drain. This led the spacecraft to enter survival mode, cutting off communication. The Occulter satellite remains operational, and ESA teams are investigating recovery options while continuing to analyze data from previous orbits.