Parker solar probe sun

NASA's Parker Solar Probe is the first mission to 'touch' the Sun, studying the solar corona and solar wind up close.

About this subject

Launched on August 12, 2018, NASA's Parker Solar Probe is a spacecraft designed to revolutionize our understanding of the Sun. Named after astrophysicist Eugene Parker, who predicted the existence of the solar wind, the probe performs increasingly daring flybys of the star, coming within 6 million kilometers of the solar surface, a record distance. To withstand extreme temperatures exceeding 1,400°C, it uses a 11.4-cm-thick carbon-composite heat shield that keeps instruments at a room temperature of about 30°C.

The mission's primary goals are to investigate the heating of the solar corona (which is millions of degrees hotter than the surface), the acceleration of the solar wind, and the dynamics of energetic particles. So far, Parker has performed multiple Venus flybys to use gravity as a brake and tighten its orbit, allowing ever closer passes to the Sun. In 2021, it became the first spacecraft to enter the solar atmosphere, the corona, gathering unprecedented data on magnetic fields and plasma.

Fun fact: the probe travels at speeds up to 700,000 km/h, making it the fastest human-made object ever. Each approach yields data that challenge theoretical models, such as the discovery of S-shaped magnetic structures in the corona. The mission is expected to continue until 2025, with future flybys potentially revealing secrets about how the Sun influences space weather and affects Earth.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the maximum speed of the Parker Solar Probe?

The Parker Solar Probe reaches speeds of up to 700,000 km/h, making it the fastest human-made object ever.

How does the probe withstand the Sun's extreme heat?

It uses a 11.4-cm-thick carbon-composite heat shield that can withstand temperatures above 1,400°C, keeping internal instruments at about 30°C.

What has the Parker Solar Probe discovered about the Sun?

Among its discoveries are the confirmation of S-shaped magnetic structures in the solar corona and unprecedented data on coronal heating and solar wind acceleration.