Spacecraft flying in formation near the sun could unlock new physics [Video]

A new space mission could unlock never-before-understood physics.

Scientists are increasingly looking to make sense of the biggest mysteries of the cosmos, including dark matter and dark energy. 

In a new paper, a team of NASA researchers proposed a mission that would fly spacecraft in a tetrahedral formation near the sun, which could help to uncover some of the universe’s biggest mysteries. 

Spacecraft flying in formation

The proposal would see several spacecraft flying in a tetrahedral formation using atom interferometers. Using this formation could help shed light on the sun’s gravitational field and unknown physics, the scientists claim.

The concept was devised by Slava G. Turyshev, a research scientist with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). He was joined by Sheng-wey Chiow, an experimental physicist …