NASA's Parker Solar Probe Mission Launches to Touch the Sun

The Parker Solar Probe, a historic mission by NASA, was launched on August 12, 2018. Its primary goal is to study the outermost part of the Sun's atmosphere, called the solar corona, and to gather valuable data about the Sun's behavior, which is crucial for our understanding of solar activity and its impact on space weather.

The Parker Solar Probe is the first spacecraft to be named after a living person, Dr. Eugene Parker, who is an astrophysicist and proposed the existence of the solar wind in the 1950s. The probe is designed to fly closer to the Sun than any previous spacecraft, approaching within about 4 million miles (6.4 million kilometers) of the Sun's surface. This close proximity allows it to withstand extreme heat and radiation levels.

Key scientific objectives of the Parker Solar Probe include:

Understanding Solar Wind: The probe aims to provide insight into the solar wind's origin and acceleration processes, as well as how it evolves as it travels through space. This knowledge is essential for understanding space weather and its effects on Earth.

Corona Exploration: It will study the solar corona, helping to explain why it is much hotter than the Sun's surface. This information can improve our understanding of stars and their atmospheres.

Magnetic Fields: The mission will investigate the structure and dynamics of magnetic fields in the solar corona, which play a critical role in solar activity and space weather.

Space Weather Prediction: By better understanding the Sun's behavior, the Parker Solar Probe contributes to improved space weather forecasting, which is important for safeguarding astronauts and spacecraft, as well as power grids and communication systems on Earth.

The Parker Solar Probe is equipped with a suite of scientific instruments to achieve these objectives. It has successfully made several close approaches to the Sun since its launch, sending back valuable data to Earth. The mission is expected to continue providing insights into the Sun's behavior and its impact on our solar system for years to come.