Launched by NASA on August 12, 2018, the Parker Solar Probe’s primary mission is to study the heating of the Sun’s corona and the acceleration of the solar wind.
Because Earth’s orbit is far from the Sun, the probe launched from Earth carries sideways orbital speed. To fall close to the Sun, the probe must shed angular momentum. The probe was launched on a trajectory to use a series of Venus flybys to shed excess orbital energy. Seven Venus flybys, spaced over seven years, have positioned Parker to make its closest approach to the Sun in 2024. It now orbits the Sun every 88 days.
The probe’s remarkable heat shield keeps it in shadow, and space itself carries very little heat. The Sun’s corona is millions of degrees, but because it is so scarce, few particles hit the probe’s heat shield so it transfers little heat.
For a more in-depth look at how this works, see this video produced by NASA.
Tom Kimber – News