Plato begins its journey towards L2 (artist impression)

This artist's impression captures a view of the European Space Agency’s Plato spacecraft soon after separating from the rocket that will take it to space. The mission will then fly solo above Earth, with its solar panels initially folded in.

Plato is set to launch at the beginning of 2027 on a quest to find Earth-like planets orbiting stars similar to our Sun. The spacecraft will launch aboard an Ariane 6 rocket from Europe’s Spaceport, in French Guiana.

Ariane 6 will set Plato on a trajectory to the Sun-Earth Lagrange point L2. This is an equilibrium point in space where gravitational forces and the orbital motion of a body balance each other. L2 is located 1.5 million km from Earth in the direction opposite the Sun.

The spacecraft will approach this point after a one-month journey and then enter orbit around it.

Watch Plato’s trip to L2.

[Image description: At the centre of the artist impression, a black cylindrical spacecraft with folded solar panels is flying over Earth. Earth appears as a curved section of a sphere, mostly dark blue with white fluffy clouds and a thin bright-blue haze around it, against a black background.]