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NASA's Parker Solar Probe achieved a historic milestone on December 24th, making its closest ever approach to the Sun. The spacecraft, traveling at a record-breaking 430,000 miles per hour (692,000 kilometers per hour), flew within just 3.8 million miles (6.1 million kilometers) of the Sun's surface. This close encounter allowed the probe to enter the Sun's corona, offering unprecedented opportunities to collect scientific measurements and deepen our understanding of the Sun's behavior. The mission represents a significant step forward in humanity's exploration of our star, providing insights into solar wind origins and heating processes.

The Parker Solar Probe successfully transmitted a beacon tone back to Earth on December 26th, signaling that it was in good health and operating normally. NASA expects to receive more detailed telemetry data regarding the spacecraft's status on January 1st. Launched in 2018, the probe is equipped with a heat shield designed to withstand extreme temperatures up to 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,371 degrees Celsius). Scientists hope the data collected will help them understand why the Sun's corona is hundreds of times hotter than its surface, and what drives the supersonic stream of charged particles known as solar wind.

ImgSrc: assets.science.

References :

• phys.org: Phys.org: NASA's Parker Solar Probe aims to fly closer to the sun like never before
• www.nasa.gov: NASA: Traveling to the Sun: Why Won't Parker Solar Probe Melt?
• go.theregister.com: Parker Solar Probe sends a "Still Alive" tone back to Earth This was a triumph There is good news for Sun botherers: the Parker Solar Probe appears to have survived its close encounter with our nearest star.…
• Gadgets 360: On Dec. 24 at 6:53 a.m. EST, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe will achieve its closest flyby of the Sun at 3.8 million miles.
• The Verge: The Parker Solar Probe signaled to operators that it was still operating normally after traveling within 3.8 million miles of the Sun’s surface on Christmas Eve.
• Michael West: NASA Solar Probe survives close brush with the sun
• techxmedia.com: NASA Parker Solar Probe Makes Historic Sun Flyby
• www.forbes.com: NASA Spacecraft Survives ‘Touching The Sun’ — What Happens Next
• Mark Pesce: "Nasa’s Parker solar probe is safe and operating normally after successfully completing the closest-ever approach to the sun by any human-made object, the space agency has said."
• www.space.com: NASA's Parker Solar Probe phones home after surviving historic close sun flyby. It's alive!
• www.engadget.com: Parker Solar Probe survived its close approach to the sun and will make two more in 2025
• www.heise.de: Parker Solar Probe reports back after rendezvous with the sun
• NPR Topics: Space: Parker Solar Probe aims to teach us more about the sun
• science.nasa.gov: Parker Solar Probe survived its close approach to the sun and will make two more in 2025
• Hacker News: NASA's Parker Solar Probe Reports Successful Closest Approach to Sun L: C: posted on 2024.12.27 at 14:06:59 (c=0, p=4)
• Universe Today: NASA’s Parker Solar Probe Makes its Record-Breaking Closest Approach to the Sun

Classification:

• HashTags: #ParkerSolarProbe #SolarPhysics #SpaceExploration
• Company: NASA
• Target: Sun
• Product: Astrophysics
• Feature: SolarResearch
• Type: Research
• Severity: Major