NASA High-Altitude Jet to Chase Total Solar Eclipse at 50,000 Feet

Industry Pulse News Desk · 2026-08-12

A NASA WB-57 research plane will track the moon's shadow to capture high-resolution imagery of the solar corona and extend observation time.

A specialized high-altitude NASA research aircraft is set to chase an upcoming total solar eclipse at 50,000 feet, offering scientists an extended aerial view to gather high-resolution imagery of the sun's atmosphere.

Operating from an airfield in Iceland, the WB-57 jet will fly at 460 miles per hour along the path of totality, which passes through portions of Greenland, Iceland, Spain, and Portugal. By cruising nearly three miles higher than standard commercial airliners, the plane will eliminate cloud interference and extend the duration of totality to almost three minutes, compared to two minutes and 18 seconds available to ground observers.

The aircraft carries a two-person crew consisting of a pilot and a sensor equipment operator who manages the onboard scientific instrumentation. Four specialized cameras integrated into the aircraft's nose cone will capture 20 photographs per second of the solar corona in various wavelengths, providing data on solar processes that influence satellite operations and space weather.

Based out of the Johnson Space Center in Houston, the WB-57 fleet has been used for high-altitude scientific research since the 1970s. In addition to tracking solar eclipses, NASA deploys the aircraft for atmospheric studies, astronaut training, and tracking space mission operations.