NASA’s Parker Solar Probe successfully completed its closest-ever flyby of the sun on December 24, sending back four signals indicating it had survived the encounter. The probe, which has been creeping closer to the sun since its launch in 2018, reached a distance of just 3.8 million miles above the solar surface while traveling at a speed of 430,000 miles per hour.
The team behind the mission was on edge, but relieved when the probe transmitted signals back to Earth nearly three days after the flyby. The data collected from this flyby is expected to reveal new insights into the sun’s behavior and its impact on the solar system.
The Parker Solar Probe has been designed with a heat shield that can withstand extreme temperatures, with one side reaching millions of degrees and the other side at a comfortable 85 degrees Fahrenheit. This unique design allows the spacecraft to collect data from both the scorching hot surface of the sun and its sensitive instruments.
Parker’s close proximity to the sun means it is also subject to intense solar activity, which can create powerful flares and expulsions of plasma that brighten our skies with dancing lights. The next solar minimum is expected sometime during the 2030s, but NASA has announced plans to extend the mission for at least a few more years.
The researchers are now eagerly awaiting the analysis of the latest data, hoping it might reveal new surprises about the sun’s behavior. With its unique design and daring maneuvers, Parker Solar Probe continues to push the boundaries of space exploration and our understanding of the sun.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/27/science/space/parker-solar-probe-nasa-sun-signal.html