This image released by NASA is an artist’s depiction of the Parker Solar Probe as it approaches the Sun. Designed to withstand the effects of the sun like never before thanks to an innovative heat shield that can withstand 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,370 degrees Celsius). Credit: Steve Gribben/Johns Hopkins University APL/NASA, via AP, File
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has made its closest approach to the sun, the space agency confirmed Friday.
Earlier this week, the spacecraft passed within a record-breaking 3.8 million miles (6 million kilometers) of the scorching star. NASA received a clear message from Parker on Thursday night confirming that he had survived the trip.
Launched in 2018 to get a closer look at the Sun, Parker has been flying straight through the crown-like atmosphere, or corona, ever since. With its approach brush completed, the spacecraft is expected to orbit the sun at this distance until at least September.
It is the fastest spacecraft ever built, reaching speeds of 430,000 mph (690,000 km/h) at its closest approach. It is equipped with a heat shield that can withstand scorching temperatures up to 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,370 degrees Celsius).
Scientists believe Parker’s data will help them better understand why the sun’s outer air is hundreds of times hotter than the surface, and what gives rise to the solar wind, a supersonic stream of charged particles constantly blown away from the sun. I hope you find it helpful.
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