Nasa’s spacecraft to reach the closest-ever point to the Sun
On December 24, 2024, NASA's Parker Solar Probe will make a record-breaking close approach to the Sun, coming within just 6.1 million kilometers of its surface. This is the closest any human-made object has ever gotten to our star, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
The maneuver occurs during a unique period, as the Sun reached the most active phase of its 11-year cycle two months ago. Scientists hope that, at the time of the approach, the probe will be caught in at least one solar flare.
The main goal of the mission is to study the Sun's outer atmosphere, known as the corona, to understand why it is hundreds of times hotter than the surface. The data collected will also help scientists gain a better understanding of the nature of the solar wind, which affects space weather and can impact Earth's technologies. These insights are crucial not only for understanding processes on the Sun but also for studying other stars in the universe.
The probe will face extreme conditions and intense radiation. To protect it from such stresses, the spacecraft is equipped with a heat shield 11 cm thick, capable of withstanding temperatures up to 1400 °C. The Parker Solar Probe is also traveling at a speed of about 692,000 km/h, making it the fastest man-made object in history.
The probe will be out of contact with Earth at the time of the close approach. It is expected that on December 27, 2024, the probe will transmit a signal confirming the successful completion of the maneuver and the status of all systems. Detailed scientific data will begin to be transmitted in the following weeks.
The Parker Solar Probe mission, launched in 2018, has already completed 21 close approaches to the Sun, each one bringing the spacecraft closer to the star's surface. The probe is named after American astrophysicist Eugene Parker, who predicted the existence of the solar wind in 1958.
Previously, Kazinform News Agency reported that scientists have detected the most powerful X-class solar flare.
