NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has set a new record for the closest approach to the sun, with two planned passes in 2025 expected to reveal groundbreaking insights into the sun’s corona and its impact on Earth’s space weather.
The article discusses the Parker Solar Probe, a spacecraft designed to study the corona of the sun, which is a region of extremely high temperatures and intense solar radiation. The probe was launched in 2018 and has made two close flybys of the sun, including one on Christmas Eve 2024.
The spacecraft is equipped with a heat shield that protects it from the intense solar radiation, allowing it to survive the extreme conditions near the sun’s surface. The instruments on board measure and image the solar wind, which is a constant stream of charged particles emanating from the corona.
The purpose of the Parker Solar Probe is to study the acceleration of these particles during coronal mass ejections (CMEs) or solar flares. CMEs are powerful explosions of hot gas that can affect Earth’s energy grids and communications systems, as well as pose a risk to astronauts in space.
The probe’s researchers hope to gain insights into how these accelerations occur and how they affect the solar wind. They also aim to develop better forecasting models for CMEs and solar flares, which would help prevent power outages and other disruptions on Earth.
The Parker Solar Probe has already made two notable discoveries: in 2022, it flew through one of the most powerful CMEs ever recorded; and in March 2018, it discovered a previously unknown type of particle that is thought to be created during these solar events.
The probe will make two more planned passes near the sun in 2025, which will bring it closer than any spacecraft has ever come before. These missions are expected to reveal new insights into the acceleration of particles and the behavior of the solar wind.
Overall, the Parker Solar Probe is a groundbreaking mission that aims to advance our understanding of the sun’s corona and its impact on Earth’s space weather.
