NEW YORK, BRONX (ORDO News) — NASA‘s Parker Solar Probe has once again made history by breaking its own record and coming within 4.51 million miles of the Sun on September 27, 2023. This approach, known as perihelion, marks the spacecraft’s 17th encounter with the Sun and sets a new distance record. During its approach to the Sun, the probe also achieved a record speed, traveling at 394,736 mph.
This was made possible by a gravitational flyby of Venus on August 21, which propelled the Parker Solar Probe toward a close encounter with the Sun. The spacecraft reached perihelion at 19:28 EDT, passing just 4.51 million miles (7.26 million km) from the surface of the Sun. This achievement not only demonstrates the incredible capabilities of the Parker Solar Probe, but also represents advances in space exploration technology.
Parker Solar Probe’s 17th solar orbit launch began on September 22 and will continue until October 3. This orbit is the mission’s midpoint and provides scientists with the opportunity to collect valuable data about the Sun’s outer atmosphere. The spacecraft entered orbit in good condition, all its systems are functioning normally, which ensures the effective completion of the assigned mission.
At the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, where the Parker Solar Probe was designed and built, telemetry from the spacecraft will be eagerly awaited on October 1. This stream of data on the state of the device will provide valuable information about the operation of the probe during its approach to the Sun.
After its approach to the Sun, Parker Solar Probe will transmit scientific data to Earth from October 4 to October 19. These data will focus primarily on the properties, structure and behavior of the solar wind during its launch from the Sun. By studying these aspects, scientists hope to gain a deeper understanding of solar phenomena and their impact on our planet.
Launched in 2018, Parker Solar Probe began an unusual mission to study the outer atmosphere of the Sun. Thanks to its ability to withstand extreme heat and radiation, the spacecraft will approach the sun’s surface closer than any previous mission, at a distance of 3.83 million miles. Over the course of seven years and 24 orbits, the probe will closely study the solar corona, solar wind and solar energetic particles. Data collected by the Parker Solar Probe will provide valuable insights into the workings of our star and better understand its impact on Earth.
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