Star Shield: how NASA plans to outshine the stars

Stars sometimes emit so much light that telescopes cannot see the remote corners of space behind it. NASA engineers want to solve the problem of light "pollution" with the help of a futuristic shield ship.
NASA JPL engineers have launched the Starshade project, which will be able to block the starlight and thereby facilitate further research. So far, it exists only on paper. The idea itself is extremely ambitious and involves the participation of not one but two whole spacecraft. One will carry a telescope, the second - a special "star shield", protecting the device from light radiation. For efficient operation, the shield will have to cover approximately 40,000 km - a huge distance by modern standards.

I don't think they do this for research.