NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has successfully beamed home its first detailed update after a record-breaking flyby of the sun, confirming its systems are operating normally. The spacecraft approached the scorching star within 3.8 million miles, making it the closest human-made object to date.
Data scientists have been waiting for decades to gather this type of data, and Parker delivered. The probe’s instruments functioned as designed during the record-breaking approach, providing valuable insights into the sun’s corona.
Parker Solar Probe is the fastest spacecraft ever built, reaching speeds of up to 430,000 mph at closest approach. Equipped with a heat shield that can withstand temperatures of 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit, the probe has flown through the sun’s outer atmosphere and will circle the sun until at least September.
The next two close flybys are scheduled for March 22 and June 19. Researchers hope to gain more knowledge about solar winds formation and the reason behind the sun’s corona being hundreds of times hotter than its surface with Parker’s data.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nasa-parker-solar-probe-beams-home-first-update-sun-flyby