NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, launched five years ago, has successfully achieved significant milestones in its mission to study the Sun. This groundbreaking spacecraft has now become the first ever to “touch the Sun,” collecting crucial data on the Sun’s upper atmosphere and solar wind.
The Parker Solar Probe has shattered speed and distance records during its journey through the blazing hot and dusty regions of the inner solar system. These extraordinary achievements have been made possible due to decades of technological advancements and innovative mission design. The initial concept for a “Solar Probe” was envisioned way back in 1962, but it took substantial material advances and engineering developments to make it a reality.
The Parker Solar Probe mission was officially established in 2007 and has since been an unparalleled exploration of our Sun. Surpassing scientists’ expectations, the spacecraft has already returned twice the amount of data anticipated. Recently, it completed its 16th science orbit out of the planned 24 orbits in its primary mission.
Excitingly, on August 21, the Parker Solar Probe will perform a gravity assist maneuver with Venus to tighten its orbit around the Sun and gather additional data on Venus itself. This maneuver will allow the spacecraft to reach its closest point to the Sun, within a remarkable distance of 3.8 million miles, in December 2024.
The impact of this mission extends beyond simply understanding the Sun. It also enhances our knowledge of space weather and improves our ability to live and work in space. The Parker Solar Probe is an integral part of NASA’s Living With a Star program, which aims to explore the Sun-Earth system and understand its effects on life and society.
Managed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, the Parker Solar Probe was designed, built, and is currently operated by the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. Its exceptional achievements in studying the Sun’s atmosphere and solar wind have made it a prominent feature in the realm of space exploration and have provided invaluable insights into our star and its interactions with our planet.
“Travel aficionado. Incurable bacon specialist. Tv evangelist. Wannabe internet enthusiast. Typical creator.”