NASA’s Parker Probe flies closer to the Sun than any other object ever

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe was poised to make history Tuesday with a record-breaking trip around the sun — though the news won’t be confirmed until Friday. The spacecraft is expected Setting a new standard Early on the morning of Christmas Eve, 3.8 million miles from the Sun’s outer atmosphere.

A NASA representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The probe was expected to have approached the sun around 7 a.m. EDT on Tuesday. But the news cannot be confirmed until Friday, which is the soonest the spacecraft can send a signal to Earth.

When the spacecraft reaches a new location in January 2025, it will transmit data from that flyby to Earth.

Read more: See NASA’s stunning image of the Sun exhaling its largest solar flare since 2017

According to NASA, the Parker Solar Probe has reached speeds of up to 430,000 miles per hour and endured temperatures of up to 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit (982 degrees Celsius). Although the probe is scheduled to orbit the sun two more times, this mission represents the closest it will ever get.

“Data from uncharted territory”

The agency said on its website that the mission is part of a broader effort by scientists “to conduct unparalleled scientific research with the potential to change our understanding of our closest star.” Website.

The spacecraft, which was launched in 2018, made several flybys near Venus to gradually approach the sun. These flights also provided scientists with insightful information about Venus, thanks to on-board instruments capable of capturing visible and near-infrared light from the planet, the agency said on its website. This allowed researchers to peer through Venus’ dense cloud cover.

When the probe entered the sun’s atmosphere for the first time in 2021, it provided groundbreaking information about the corona.

“No human-made object has ever passed this close to the star, so Parker will actually be returning data from uncharted territory,” Nick Behnken, Parker Solar Probe mission operations director, said in a previous report. press release. “We’re excited to hear the spacecraft’s response as it swings back around the sun.”

The Parker Solar Probe is part of NASA’s Living with a Star program, which aims to explore aspects of the solar system that affect life on Earth.