NASA’s groundbreaking Parker Solar Probe made history on Tuesday, achieving the closest-ever flyby of the Sun, coming within a mere 3.8 million miles (6.1 million kilometers) of our star. During this record-setting encounter, the spacecraft’s heat shield faced temperatures soaring above 1,700 degrees Fahrenheit (930 degrees Celsius). Launched in August 2018, the Parker Solar Probe is on a seven-year mission to expand our knowledge of the Sun and improve space-weather predictions that could impact life on Earth.
The probe’s closest approach, known as perihelion, took place at approximately 6:53 AM (11:53 GMT) on Tuesday. However, mission scientists will not receive confirmation until Friday due to the temporary loss of communication, which occurs as the spacecraft moves into the Sun’s intense vicinity.
Continue reading… “NASA’s Parker Solar Probe Makes Historic Closest Approach to the Sun”