NASA's parker solar probe/Solar energy

The Parker Solar Probe is a NASA mission designed to study the Sun up close and gather valuable scientific data about our star. It was launched on August 12, 2018, and it has been named in honor of astrophysicist Eugene Parker, who made significant contributions to our understanding of the solar wind.

Here are some key details and objectives of the Parker Solar Probe mission:

1. Closest Approach: The Parker Solar Probe is on a trajectory to make multiple close approaches to the Sun, venturing closer to it than any previous spacecraft. It will travel through the Sun's outer atmosphere, known as the corona, coming within about 4 million miles (6.4 million kilometers) of the solar surface.
2. Protection from Extreme Heat: To withstand the intense heat and radiation of the Sun, the Parker Solar Probe is equipped with a state-of-the-art thermal protection system, or heat shield, called the Thermal Protection System (TPS). The TPS is made of a carbon composite material and is designed to keep the instruments and spacecraft systems cool.
3. Scientific Instruments: The spacecraft carries a suite of scientific instruments to study various aspects of the Sun's environment. These instruments include the FIELDS suite, which measures electric and magnetic fields, the Integrated Science Investigation of the Sun (ISOIS) suite, which measures energetic particles, the Wide-field Imager for Solar Probe (WISPR), which captures images of the solar corona, and the Solar Wind Electrons Alphas and Protons (SWEAP) suite, which studies the properties of the solar wind.
4. Objectives: The Parker Solar Probe aims to answer fundamental questions about the Sun and its dynamic behavior. The mission seeks to understand why the Sun's corona is much hotter than its surface, how solar wind particles are accelerated to high speeds, and how the Sun's magnetic field is generated and structured.
5. Unprecedented Data: By flying closer to the Sun than ever before, the Parker Solar Probe will provide unique data that will help scientists improve their understanding of space weather, which has important implications for satellite communications, spacecraft operations, and astronaut safety. The mission is expected to make significant contributions to our knowledge of solar physics and astrophysics.
6. Seven-Year Mission: The Parker Solar Probe is planned to have a mission duration of approximately seven years, consisting of multiple close approaches to the Sun. It will make a total of 24 orbits, gradually reducing its distance from the Sun over the course of the mission.
7. Solar Wind Exploration: One of the primary goals of the Parker Solar Probe is to study the solar wind. The solar wind is a stream of charged particles, primarily electrons and protons, that flows outward from the Sun and permeates the entire solar system. By directly sampling the solar wind close to its source, the spacecraft aims to provide critical insights into the processes that accelerate the solar wind and determine its properties.
8. Multiple Venus Gravity Assists: To achieve its close approaches to the Sun, the Parker Solar Probe utilizes gravity assists from Venus. During each Venus flyby, the spacecraft uses the planet's gravity to adjust its trajectory, gradually reducing its distance from the Sun with each subsequent pass.
9. Unprecedented Speed: As it approaches the Sun, the Parker Solar Probe achieves incredibly high speeds. At its closest approach, the spacecraft reaches speeds of up to 430,000 miles per hour (700,000 kilometers per hour), making it the fastest human-made object ever.
10. Challenging Environment: The region surrounding the Sun poses numerous challenges for spacecraft. The Parker Solar Probe must endure extreme temperatures, with the heat shield facing temperatures exceeding 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,377 degrees Celsius), while the spacecraft itself remains at a comfortable operating temperature. The mission also faces intense radiation from the Sun, requiring robust shielding for its sensitive instruments.
11. Data Transmission: The Parker Solar Probe collects vast amounts of data during its close approaches to the Sun. Due to its proximity to the Sun, the spacecraft experiences high levels of radio interference, making it challenging to transmit data back to Earth. To overcome this, the mission uses a high-gain antenna and the Deep Space Network to send data back to Earth during short windows of communication.
12. Continuous Monitoring: The Parker Solar Probe's instruments operate continuously, collecting data during its close approaches to the Sun and sending it back to Earth. This continuous monitoring allows scientists to capture detailed information about the Sun's activity and better understand the dynamic processes at work.
13. Mission Extensions: The initial mission duration of the Parker Solar Probe is seven years, with 24 planned orbits around the Sun. However, depending on the spacecraft's performance and scientific discoveries, mission extensions are possible to continue gathering valuable data and expanding our understanding of the Sun.

The Parker Solar Probe mission represents a significant scientific endeavor to explore the Sun's environment and unravel the mysteries of our star. By venturing closer to the Sun than any previous mission, it aims to provide groundbreaking insights into the fundamental processes that drive the Sun's behavior and influence space weather throughout the solar system.