Launched by NASA in 2018, the Parker Solar Probe embarks on a pioneering mission to explore the Sun, reaching a historic flyby on December 24 of the upcoming year. Travelling at an astonishing speed of 195 km/s (435,000 mph), the probe will achieve an unparalleled proximity to the Sun’s surface—6.1 million km (3.8 million miles), an accomplishment no human-made object has previously attained. Described by Dr. Nour Raouafi, the project scientist, as “almost landing on a star,” this endeavor draws parallels to the monumental achievement of the Moon landing in 1969.
The audacious goal of the Parker Solar Probe is to execute repeated, progressively closer passes of the Sun, with the upcoming maneuver bringing it within just 4% of the Sun-Earth distance. This bold approach is not without its challenges, as the probe will encounter temperatures of 1,400°C at its closest point due to the Sun’s intense gravitational pull. To withstand these extreme conditions, Parker employs a strategy of swift in-and-out movements, utilizing a suite of instruments shielded by a robust heat shield to make crucial measurements of the solar environment.
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The primary objective is to deepen our understanding of the Sun’s outer atmosphere, known as the corona, where temperatures unexpectedly soar to over a million degrees. The counterintuitive superheating and acceleration of charged particles within the corona remain mysterious phenomena. Scientists anticipate that the data collected by Parker will unravel these mysteries, offering essential insights to improve solar behavior forecasts and enhance our understanding of “space weather.” Accurate forecasts are vital for mitigating the impacts of solar eruptions on Earth’s communication systems and power grids, as well as addressing health risks for astronauts.
As the mission reaches its pinnacle in the upcoming year, with close approaches and an extended sojourn in the corona, researchers expect groundbreaking discoveries about solar processes. The information gathered during the historic December 24 flyby, where Parker will spend an extended period in the corona, provides a unique opportunity to study potential waves in the solar wind associated with the heating phenomenon. Although the probe won’t venture any closer to the Sun after December, the accumulated data is anticipated to significantly contribute to our understanding of the Sun and its impact on space weather, with implications for future lunar exploration and human presence beyond Earth.
