Two NASA pilots will take off from Keflavik airport in Iceland on Wednesday, fly north to Greenland and then south along a curved path about 40 miles off the coast, aiming to intersect the moon’s shadow during a total solar eclipse.

The aircraft will cruise at 50,000 feet, where the shadow moves at more than 2,000 miles per hour, allowing the mission to extend totality to nearly three minutes, compared with about two minutes for observers on the ground.

Four cameras mounted in the nose of the WB‑57 aircraft will photograph the eclipsed sun at multiple wavelengths, capturing solar prominences and nanoflares that are otherwise hidden by the sun’s glare.

Cary Klemm, a sensor equipment operator at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, said the experience at high altitude involves a sudden drop in temperature and a bright cockpit followed by a brief period of darkness. Dr Amir Caspi, principal investigator at Southwest Research Institute, said the mission provides a rare opportunity to study the sun’s corona and space weather, which can affect astronauts, satellites and power grids.

The WB‑57, derived from the English Electric Canberra bomber, flies above cloud cover in the stratosphere, offering advantages over ground‑based and space‑based observations, which are limited by clouds or data bandwidth.

The observations may improve understanding of the sun’s magnetic activity and its impact on space weather, while the rarity of total solar eclipses underscores their scientific and cultural significance.

The U.S. Senate confirmed Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess as the next chief of the U.S. Space Force. It also passed a continuing resolution that blocks the administration from implementing a proposed rule on federal grant award criteria, creating a timeline for avoiding a government shutdown before the November elections.

The Senate finished its work before the summer recess. It stayed in session overnight Friday into Saturday to consider legislation and nominations. The House and Senate are in recess, resulting in fewer scheduled events during August 9‑22, 2026.

Schiess currently serves as deputy chief of space operations for operations, sustainment, training and readiness. He will succeed Gen. B. Chance Saltzman, who is retiring this month. The Senate resolution prevents the administration from changing how federal grants are awarded, a change critics say could affect science funding. The House passed a separate continuing resolution that expires on December 4, while the Senate version remains in effect until December 11. Both chambers must reach agreement to avoid a shutdown on October 1.

A total solar eclipse will be visible on August 12 across parts of Greenland, Iceland, Portugal, Spain and other regions. Partial phases will be seen in many other locations. The European Space Agency will hold an in‑person event in León, Spain. ESA and NASA will provide live streams.

NASA postponed its 97th spacewalk, originally set for August 14, to August 18. An anomaly in a carbon dioxide sensor on astronaut Anil Menon’s spacesuit was observed during a previous extravehicular activity. The agency is evaluating whether to use a different suit.

Rocket Lab will release its second‑quarter 2026 financial results on August 10. Virgin Galactic will release its second‑quarter 2026 financial results on August 10. The JAXA launch of the QZS‑7 satellite is scheduled for August 11 from Tanegashima. The Southern Space Conference will take place in Canberra on August 11‑12. The Texas Area Planetary Science meeting will occur in Austin on August 20‑21. NASA will hold a news conference on U.S. leadership in aviation and space on August 14 at Kennedy Space Center.

Brian Weeden was named editor‑in‑chief of Space Policy, the quarterly journal published by Elsevier. He previously served as director of civil and commercial policy at the Aerospace Corporation and as executive director of CONFERS at the Secure World Foundation.

Congressional action on the continuing resolution and the outcome of the November elections will shape future U.S. space policy. The total solar eclipse offers a notable observational opportunity for scientists and the public.