NASA’s Parker Solar Probe is on the verge of making history, achieving the closest-ever approach to the sun by a human-made object. On December 24th, the spacecraft will come within a mere 3.8 million miles of the solar surface, a remarkable feat in its mission to study our star.
This close encounter will be the first of the probe’s three final closest flybys, as it completes its 22nd orbit around the sun. Launched in 2018, the Parker Solar Probe is expected to complete a total of 24 orbits, pushing the boundaries of solar exploration.
During this record-breaking flyby, the probe will be traveling at an astonishing speed of approximately 430,000 miles per hour. Due to the intense heat and radiation, communication with the spacecraft will be temporarily suspended. The team expects to receive a health confirmation from the probe on December 27th, once it has moved further away from the sun.
The Parker Solar Probe’s daring mission is providing scientists with unprecedented data about the sun’s atmosphere, magnetic fields, and solar wind. This information is crucial for understanding the dynamics of our star and its impact on Earth and the solar system.
As the Parker Solar Probe continues its groundbreaking journey, it continues to redefine our understanding of the sun and its influence on our cosmic neighborhood.