PLATO team completing the spacecraft
PLATO team completing the spacecraft
Engineers install the sunshield and solar module onto ESA's PLATO satellite. The work took place on 9 September 2025 in a dedicated cleanroom at ESA's ESTEC facility in the Netherlands. The team suspended the combined sunshield and solar module from a special lifting mechanism, then carefully manoeuvred it to align it precisely with the back of the spacecraft. In orbit, the solar array will capture sunlight to power the spacecraft's electronics, while the sunshield will keep the scientific instruments in the shade, protecting them from the Sun's glare.
Credit:
ESA – SJM Photography