Engineers have completed the construction of ESA’s Plato spacecraft — the mission designed to search for Earth-like planets around Sun-like stars — marking a major milestone before its final round of testing. With its sunshield and solar panels now fitted, Plato (PLAnetary Transits and Oscillations of stars) has reached its full flight configuration at the European Space Agency’s Test Centre in the Netherlands.
“This operation completes the Plato spacecraft,” said Thomas Walloschek, ESA’s Plato Project Manager. “The combined sunshield and solar array module was the last remaining essential part. It is very satisfying to have reached this moment and to see Plato in its final shape. This is the result of excellent cooperation between ESA, the Plato Mission Consortium members, and the industrial core team.”
The spacecraft’s distinctive sunshield and solar panels serve critical roles. The solar arrays will generate power from sunlight, while the sunshield will protect Plato’s sensitive cameras from heat and glare, keeping them at the frigid temperatures required for precise observations.
“Over the years we’ve seen what Plato would look like in countless detailed drawings and simulated images, yet seeing the real, completed spacecraft feels very special,” said Ana Heras, ESA’s Plato Project Scientist. “Its overall layout is optimised to monitor more than 150,000 bright stars at the same time, with high precision. This will enable scientists to hunt for terrestrial planets orbiting stars similar to our Sun.”
Plato’s science payload consists of 26 advanced cameras, designed to detect the faint dips in starlight caused by planets passing in front of their host stars. The cameras must remain extremely cold — around –80°C — to maintain focus and sensitivity. Protected by the sunshield and facing deep space, they will naturally cool to the required temperature and remain stable throughout the mission.
After installation, engineers successfully tested the deployment of the solar arrays on 16 and 22 September. The panels were suspended to simulate weightlessness, unfolding smoothly like a pair of wings. Engineers then illuminated them with a high-intensity lamp to verify their power output, confirming a flawless deployment.
Plato is now preparing for a demanding campaign of vibration, acoustic, and vacuum tests — simulating the violent forces of launch and the extreme conditions of space. If all goes well, Plato will launch aboard an Ariane 6 rocket in December 2026, ready to explore new worlds within the habitable zones of Sun-like stars.