NASA’s Parker Solar Probe is set to fly closest to the Sun on Dec. 24, 2024, at 6:53 a.m. EST. The spacecraft, which launched in 2018, will come within 3.8 million miles (6.1 million kilometers) of the solar surface, setting a record for the closest distance a man-made object has ever made to a star. Traveling at an extraordinary speed of 430,000 mph (692,000 kph), the probe will sweep through the sun’s corona, collecting data on its high-temperature atmosphere.
Mission details and flyby preparations
Parker Solar Probe, managed by NASA and designed at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (JHUAPL), has completed 21 previous solar encounters and seven flybys of Venus, according to a report from Parker Solar Space. The upcoming event marks the 22nd solar approach in its mission to deepen understanding of the Sun’s outer atmosphere. According to Nick Pinkin, JHUAPL’s mission operations manager, the probe will provide unprecedented data from areas no spacecraft has explored before.
According to the report, as part of its preparations, the probe sent a final transmission to Earth on December 20, indicating that all systems were operating normally. Communication with the spacecraft will remain offline until December 27, when it is expected to send a health status update. According to the report, comprehensive science data, including telemetry, will start arriving in January 2025.
Engineering to withstand extreme temperatures
During flight, the spacecraft will endure temperatures reaching 1,800 °F (980 °C). Its advanced heat shield constructed from carbon foam ensures that the test equipment remains at room temperature while withstanding temperatures up to 1,377 degrees Celsius.
future of mission
According to reports, two additional close solar flybys are planned for March 22 and June 19, 2025. Decisions regarding the spacecraft’s trajectory and continued operations are expected after the conclusion of the primary mission. Parker Solar Probe’s findings are intended to address important questions about the Sun’s behavior, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of solar phenomena.
