NASA’s Parker solar probe has successfully completed its closest-ever approach to the sun, setting a new record for any human-made object. The probe reached a distance of 3.8m miles from the sun’s surface and withstood temperatures of up to 982C (1,800F) and intense radiation.
Launched in 2018, the Parker solar probe has made 21 orbits around the sun and flybys of Venus have shifted its path closer to the sun. The probe is designed to study the sun’s upper atmosphere, known as the corona, and carries four instrument suites.
The probe’s carbon-composite shield protects it from extreme temperatures, allowing it to survive up to 1,377C (2,500F). It first “touched” the sun in 2021, providing new insights into the magnetically intense region.
NASA says the closeup study of the sun allows Parker solar probe to take measurements that help scientists understand how material gets heated, trace the origin of the solar wind, and discover how energetic particles are accelerated. The solar wind has implications for life on Earth, affecting the northern and southern lights.
The probe travels at 430,000mph (692,000km/h) and was out of contact with scientists during its closest approach. A signal from the probe was received just before midnight EST on Boxing Day, indicating it was in good health and operating normally. Detailed data is expected to be sent back to Earth on New Year’s Day.
The mission is nearing its conclusion, having completed 24 planned orbits over a seven-year period. The probe is named after Dr Eugene N Parker, who first proposed the theory of solar wind. Scientists expect the measurements from Parker solar probe to answer fundamental questions about the sun and its atmosphere.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/dec/27/nasa-probe-safe-parker-solar-spacecraft-closest-approach-sun