On December 26th, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe sent a signal back to Earth, indicating that it is in good health and operating normally. This marks a significant milestone for the mission, as the probe successfully flew within 3.8 million miles of the surface of the Sun.
Background Information
The Parker Solar Probe was launched on August 12th, 2018, by NASA in collaboration with Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. The primary objective of the mission is to study the corona – the atmosphere surrounding the Sun – and understand why it gets so hot.
Mission Objectives
The Parker Solar Probe is designed to gather data on several key aspects of the Sun’s behavior:
- Solar Wind: Scientists want to better comprehend the solar wind, which is a stream of charged particles emitted by the Sun.
- Heat and Energy: The probe will study how the Sun’s heat is transferred from its core to its corona, where temperatures can reach millions of degrees Celsius.
- Energetic Particles: Researchers aim to understand how energetic particles are accelerated to near light speed within the solar wind.
The Close Flyby
On December 24th, the Parker Solar Probe flew past the Sun’s surface at a speed of approximately 430,000 miles per hour. During this time, mission operations were out of contact with the probe, but it successfully transmitted data back to Earth upon its departure from the solar surface.
The Heat Shield
One of the key design features of the Parker Solar Probe is its heat shield, which protects the spacecraft from the intense heat generated by the Sun. The heat shield reaches temperatures of around 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,371°C), while the probe itself remains at a relatively cool temperature of about 85 degrees Fahrenheit (29°C).
What’s Next
NASA expects the Parker Solar Probe to send detailed telemetry data on its status on January 1st. This will provide scientists with valuable information about the mission’s progress and help them better understand the Sun’s behavior.
Conclusion
The successful close flyby of the Parker Solar Probe marks a major achievement for NASA and the scientific community. The mission will continue to provide insights into the Sun’s behavior, helping researchers better comprehend the complex processes that govern our solar system.
Additional Information
- Mission Overview: Parker Solar Probe Mission Overview
- Solar Wind: Understanding Solar Wind
- Heat and Energy: Heat Transfer in the Sun’s Corona
