Parker Solar Probe Sets Record with Closest Approach to the Sun

Parker Solar Probe Sets Record with Closest Approach to the Sun

On December 24, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe achieved a historic milestone by flying just 6.1 million kilometers from the Sun’s surface—the closest approach ever made by a spacecraft.

NASA confirmed that the probe successfully reestablished contact with Earth on December 27, with all systems functioning normally. The signal was received at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in the United States.

The probe transmitted its status data on January 1, with the first wave of scientific data expected by the end of January.

Researchers anticipate that the insights gathered by Parker Solar Probe will deepen our understanding of critical solar phenomena, including the mechanisms behind the heating of the Sun’s corona, the generation of solar winds, and the acceleration of particles to near-light speeds. This knowledge could provide vital information about the Sun’s influence on the solar system and space weather.

Source: https:// x.com/konstructivizm/status/1875477269436576151