--- title: "NASA WB-57 aircraft to chase 12 August 2026 solar eclipse over Iceland" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/tech/nasa-wb-57-aircraft-to-chase-12-august-2026-solar-eclipse-over-iceland" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/nasa-wb-57-aircraft-to-chase-12-august-2026-solar-eclipse-over-iceland" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/tech/nasa-wb-57-aircraft-to-chase-12-august-2026-solar-eclipse-over-iceland.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/nasa-wb-57-aircraft-to-chase-12-august-2026-solar-eclipse-over-iceland" category: "Science & Tech" area: "European Union" published: "2026-08-09T20:46:03.328Z" source_reported: "2026-08-09T19:13:00.000Z" updated: "2026-08-09T20:46:03.328Z" trust_score: 76 critic_score: 95 hype_score: 30 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-08-09T21:51:13.256818+00:00" --- # NASA WB-57 aircraft to chase 12 August 2026 solar eclipse over Iceland *High-altitude flight will extend observation of the sun’s corona to nearly three minutes during totality* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 76 of 100, higher is better. Trust 76: two full reports name NASA officials and provide specific altitude, speed, and date details. - Craft 95 of 100, higher is better. Critic 95: articles explain mission relevance, quote experts, give precise figures, and outline next steps clearly. - Hype 30 of 100, lower is better. Hype 30: headlines are mildly sensational but the body remains factual and proportionate. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - NASA’s WB-57 aircraft will fly at 50,000 feet on 12 August 2026 to observe the total solar eclipse, extending corona observation time to nearly three minutes. - The mission will use the SCIFLI Multispectral Airborne Imager to capture high-resolution images of the solar corona in visible and infrared wavelengths. - Student teams from U.S. universities will launch scientific balloons in Iceland and Spain to study atmospheric changes during the eclipse. - No left-rated outlet carried the story, according to the reports printed below. On 12 August 2026, a total solar eclipse will pass over Greenland, Iceland, Spain and a small part of Portugal. NASA will deploy its WB-57 high-altitude research aircraft to observe the event from 50,000 feet above the North Atlantic, west of Iceland. The aircraft will carry the SCIFLI Multispectral Airborne Imager, a suite of cameras designed to record the solar corona at 20 frames per second in visible and infrared light. The WB-57 will travel at about 460 miles per hour, allowing it to follow the moon’s shadow and extend the observation window for the corona from just over two minutes on the ground to nearly three minutes in the air. Scientists aim to study solar prominences, the corona’s million-degree temperatures and the development of the solar wind. The mission builds on data collected during the 2024 total solar eclipse, with adjustments to exposure times and data-processing software. Alongside the aircraft mission, NASA is supporting the Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project. Student teams from several U.S. universities will launch scientific balloons in Iceland and Spain before, during and after the eclipse. In Iceland, the balloons will study changes in Earth’s boundary layer, the part of the atmosphere that touches the ground. In Spain, balloons equipped with 360-degree cameras will image the eclipse shadow from above and measure ozone levels. ## What the coverage left out None of the right-rated digests mentioned the Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project or the involvement of student teams launching scientific balloons in Iceland and Spain. The cost of the mission or the funding sources for the research were not reported in any of the digests or full reports. No left-rated outlet carried the story at all. ## Who covered it Shares of the 6 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 0% (0) - Centre: 67% (4) - Right: 33% (2) 8 of 14 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-08-09T21:51:13.256818+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 6 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-08-09T22:30:08.315Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left No separate framing summary. ### Centre - The three centre-rated reports led on the scientific objectives of the mission. Forbes and Phys.org both detailed the WB-57’s flight path, altitude and speed, and the use of the SCIFLI Multispectral Airborne Imager to capture high-resolution images of the corona. Forbes included the involvement of the Irish Air Corps, which will fly a C-295 aircraft with scientists from the European Space Agency and Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. Phys.org reported that the mission aims to improve understanding of solar prominences and the solar wind, and that the aircraft will fly above clouds to avoid atmospheric interference. - Forbes quoted principal investigator Amir Caspi of the Southwest Research Institute: “The sun is always changing. Every eclipse is different. So we could see things we didn’t see before.” Phys.org quoted Kelly Korreck, NASA’s eclipse program manager: “The sun impacts our daily life, satellites and astronauts in space, and we can take advantage of this moment to advance our understanding of that influence.” Sky & Telescope’s digest mentioned the scientific campaigns planned for the eclipse but did not provide additional detail. ### Right - The two right-rated digests led on the mission’s technical aspects and the aircraft’s role. The News described the WB-57’s flight as a “chase” of the moon’s shadow over Iceland, while TV Azteca framed the mission as a “hunt” for the eclipse. Both digests mentioned the aircraft’s altitude and speed but did not include details about the scientific instruments or the broader atmospheric research planned for the event. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 1 - high: 1 - unknown: 9 - veryHigh: 3 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [NASA (Source)](https://airbornescience.nasa.gov/aircraft/WB-57_-_JSC) — WB-57 - JSC | NASA Airborne Science Program - [friendsofnasa.org](https://friendsofnasa.org/2026/07/chasing-solar-eclipses-with-nasa.html) — Chasing Solar Eclipses with NASA Supersonic Jet Pilots - [Fréttir - mbl.is](https://mbl.is/frettir/innlent/2026/08/09/eins_og_hendi_vaeri_veifad_skellur_skugginn_a) — "As if a Hand Were Waved, the Shadow Falls" - [The News](https://thenews.com.pk/latest/1411749-nasa-eclipse-mission-will-chase-moons-shadow-over-iceland) — NASA eclipse mission will chase moon’s shadow over Iceland - [Stirile Pro TV](https://stirileprotv.ro/stiri/stiinta/misiune-spectaculoasa-nasa-un-avion-va-urmari-umbra-lunii-pentru-a-observa-eclipsa-totala-aproape-trei-minute.html) — Spectacular NASA Mission. An Airplane Will Follow the Shadow of the Moon to Observe the Total Eclipse Nearly Three Minutes - [Adevarul](https://adevarul.ro/stil-de-viata/stiinta/te-loveste-un-val-brusc-de-intuneric-nasa-2548724.html) — "You're Hit by a Sudden Wave of Darkness. NASA Sends a Plane at 15,000 Meters Altitude to Gather Information About the Sun During the Eclipse - [TV Azteca](https://tvazteca.com/aztecanoticias/como-estudiara-la-nasa-el-eclipse-solar-del-12-agosto-en-europa) — Thus NASA Will "Hunt" the Solar Eclipse of August 12th on a Mission From the Heights - [panasiabiz.com](https://panasiabiz.com/116696/nasa-science-soars-during-august-total-solar-eclipse) — NASA science soars during August total solar eclipse - [latination.com](https://latination.com/the-nasa-aircraft-that-chases-total-solar-eclipses-for-a-one-of-a-kind-view) — NASA aircraft chases unique total solar eclipses - [montana.edu](https://montana.edu/news/25476/montana-state-students-to-help-nasa-science-soar-during-2026-total-solar-eclipse) — Montana State students to help NASA science soar during 2026 total solar eclipse - [Sky & Telescope](https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/science-campaigns-planned-for-the-august-12th-total-solar-eclipse) — Science Campaigns Planned for the August 12th Total Solar Eclipse - [noticiasambientales.com](https://noticiasambientales.com/science/nasa-will-use-the-wb-57-aircraft-to-capture-unprecedented-images-of-the-solar-corona-during-the-august-12-eclipse) — NASA will use the WB-57 aircraft to capture unprecedented images of the solar corona during the August 12 eclipse - [Forbes](https://forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2026/08/01/why-nasa-is-about-to-fly-into-icelands-total-solar-eclipse) — Why NASA Is About To Fly Into Iceland’s Total Solar Eclipse - [Phys.org](https://phys.org/news/2026-07-nasa-science-soars-august-total.html) — NASA science soars during August total solar eclipse ## Questions **What will NASA’s WB-57 aircraft do during the 12 August 2026 solar eclipse?** NASA’s WB-57 aircraft will fly at 50,000 feet over the North Atlantic to observe the total solar eclipse. It will carry the SCIFLI Multispectral Airborne Imager to capture high-resolution images of the solar corona, extending observation time to nearly three minutes by following the moon’s shadow at 460 miles per hour. **Which countries will the 12 August 2026 total solar eclipse pass over?** The total solar eclipse on 12 August 2026 will pass over Greenland, Iceland, Spain and a small part of Portugal. The path of totality will begin in Arctic Russia and end in the Mediterranean Ocean, with NASA’s WB-57 aircraft observing from above the North Atlantic. **What is the Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project?** The Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project is a NASA-supported initiative where student teams from U.S. universities will launch scientific balloons in Iceland and Spain during the 12 August 2026 eclipse. The balloons will study atmospheric changes, including the boundary layer and ozone levels, before, during and after the event. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/tech/nasa-wb-57-aircraft-to-chase-12-august-2026-solar-eclipse-over-iceland. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "NASA WB-57 aircraft to chase 12 August 2026 solar eclipse over Iceland", https://mediabias.news/tech/nasa-wb-57-aircraft-to-chase-12-august-2026-solar-eclipse-over-iceland