The Parker Solar Probe of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) made history, flying closer to the Sun than any spacecraft before.
With its heat shield exposed to temperatures over 1,700°F (930°C), the probe is on a seven-year mission to study the Sun and improve space-weather forecasts that can impact life on Earth.
The fly-by, known as perihelion, occurred at 6:53 AM EDT, but scientists will need several days to confirm the success due to the probe’s proximity to the Sun.
During this closest approach, the probe was just four yards (meters) away from the Sun’s surface.
Since its launch in August 2018, Parker Solar Probe has been exploring the Sun’s outer atmosphere, known as the corona.
Despite the intense heat, the spacecraft’s internal instruments remain near room temperature, due to its heat shield.
Parker is also traveling at a speed of 430,000 mph (690,000 km/h), allowing it to cover vast distances quickly.
It is gathering valuable data to help scientists understand the origins of solar wind, why the Sun’s corona is hotter than its surface, and how massive solar storms, known as coronal mass ejections, form.
The spacecraft is providing unprecedented insights into the Sun’s behavior, answering long-standing scientific questions.
The probe’s data will be crucial in predicting space weather events that could affect satellites, communications, and power systems on Earth.
Source: Dawn
