Concorde Eclipse Mission (1973) The Concorde Eclipse Mission of 1973 was one of the most remarkable scientific flights in aviation history. On June 30, 1973, the Concorde 001 prototype, developed by Aérospatiale (France) and British Aircraft Corporation (United Kingdom), was used as a flying observatory to study a total solar eclipse. Normally, a total solar eclipse can only be observed for about 7 minutes at any one location on Earth because the Moon's shadow moves very quickly across the surface. Scientists wanted to observe the eclipse for a much longer time to collect more accurate data about the Sun's corona, the outer atmosphere of the Sun that is only visible during a total eclipse. To achieve this, Concorde flew at Mach 2.05 (about 2,180 km/h or 1,354 mph) at an altitude of approximately 17,000 meters (56,000 feet). By flying almost as fast as the Moon's shadow, the aircraft was able to remain inside the path of totality for about 74 minutes, setting a record for the longest continuous observation of a total solar eclipse from an aircraft. The aircraft was specially modified for the mission. Several observation windows were installed in the roof and fuselage, and scientific instruments such as cameras, spectrometers, and telescopes were carried onboard. A team of astronomers, physicists, engineers, and technicians worked together to collect data throughout the flight. The mission departed from Las Palmas, Canary Islands, and flew across Mauritania, Mali, Niger, and Chad, following the eclipse path over Africa. During the flight, scientists studied: The solar corona, including its structure and temperature. Solar flares and prominences. The Sun's ultraviolet and infrared radiation. The Earth's upper atmosphere during the eclipse. The mission was highly successful and produced valuable scientific data that could not have been obtained from ground-based observations. It also demonstrated that supersonic aircraft could serve as effective platforms for scientific research, not just commercial transportation. Today, the 1973 Concorde Eclipse Mission is remembered as one of the greatest achievements in the history of both aviation and astronomy, showcasing how advanced aircraft technology can contribute to scientific discovery. #aviation #edit #planeedit #concorde - @gloomy511