NASA and the historic mission to explore the Sun

Launched in 2018, Parker Solar Probe made a journey through the corona - the outermost layer of the Sun's atmosphere that humans can only observe during total solar eclipses.

On December 24, the spacecraft is expected to set a remarkable milestone when it passes a record distance of only 6 million kilometers from the surface of the Sun. Joe Westlake, an expert from NASA, shared: "To put it in perspective, if the Sun and Earth were at opposite ends of a football field, Parker would be only about 3.6 meters from the Sun."

However, the mission control team will have to wait several days after the flight to receive the signal, because at its closest distance, the spacecraft will be out of communication range.

This spacecraft is built to withstand the most extreme conditions. The Parker Solar Probe will come at least seven times closer to the Sun than any spacecraft before it. At its closest approach, the spacecraft will travel at a speed of 430,000 mph, making it the fastest man-made object ever built. To protect its internal systems, the spacecraft is equipped with a heat shield that can withstand temperatures of up to 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,371 degrees Celsius), enough to melt many common metals.

Not only is it a feat of space technology, the Parker Solar Probe mission also promises to open up new understandings about the Sun, such as why the corona is hundreds of times hotter than the surface of the Sun or what causes the solar wind - a stream of high-speed charged particles that affects the magnetic field and climate of space near Earth.

These issues are not only theoretical but also of great practical value. Powerful solar storms have the potential to disrupt radio communications, affect power grids and the operation of satellites in orbit.

The star, which is the source of life on Earth, also goes through an 11-year cycle of activity, including a period of maximum solar flares. Currently, the increased activity of the Sun has created brilliant auroras in many parts of the planet.

Westlake compared that: “The Sun is the closest, friendliest neighbor, but sometimes it also has its moments of anger.”

Parker Solar Probe is expected to continue orbiting the Sun at this close distance until at least September 2025. Researchers expect the spacecraft to bring back more important data to better understand the structure and nature of the most important star in the Solar System.

Ganoderma (t/h)