Spanish flag carrier Iberia will operate a special charter flight on August 12, 2026, to observe the total solar eclipse visible over parts of Spain. Designated as flight IB1473 in reference to the birth year of astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, the flight is scheduled to depart from Madrid-Barajas International Airport at 18:45 local time.
The mission will utilize an Airbus A321XLR operating at an altitude of 10,000 meters along a flight path over Palencia province in north-central Spain. The aircraft will carry a scientific research team participating in the Shelios program, led by astronomer Miquel Serra-Ricart. Additionally, Javier Meana Fernández, one of the pilots onboard, holds a background in astrophysics.
Iberia plans to broadcast the astronomical observation live across its social media channels. The A321XLR assigned to the flight is among the airline's first aircraft equipped with satellite-based Starlink internet connectivity provided by SpaceX.
