NASA’s Parker Solar Probe Sets New Record for Closest Approach to the Sun
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NASA’s Parker Solar Probe is a groundbreaking mission designed to explore the Sun like never before. Launched in August 2018, the spacecraft is on a mission to study the Sun’s outer atmosphere, the corona, and its solar wind in unprecedented detail.
The Parker Solar Probe will fly closer to the Sun than any spacecraft before it, coming within about 4 million miles of the Sun’s surface. This is roughly seven times closer than previous missions, enabling the probe to collect data on solar phenomena such as solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and the solar wind. The probe is equipped with a specialized heat shield to protect its instruments from the extreme temperatures, which can reach over 2,500°F (1,377°C).
By getting so close, the Parker Solar Probe is expected to help scientists better understand solar dynamics, which will improve predictions of space weather that can affect satellite communications, power grids, and other Earth-based technologies.
