Parker Solar Probe sets new records in solar exploration
Launched in 2018, the Parker Solar Probe — a technological breakthrough to get as close to the Sun as possible. Its flybys include periods when it passes through perihelion – points of closest approach to the surface of the Sun. Each of these points is important for astrophysical research, since the probe is able to measure radiation, solar wind and other parameters of solar activity at a unique distance.
The recent 18th flyby recorded the achievements of the Parker Solar Probe. It flew the shortest distance to the surface of the Sun – only 7.26 million kilometers. This is the closest point to the Sun ever reached by an artificial object. In addition, the probe set a new speed record, reaching 635,226 km/h. This — the results of long and careful engineering work that made it possible for the probe to reach such a maximum distance from the Sun.
The completion of the Parker Solar Probe mission is scheduled for December 2025, before which time the probe must make eight more flybys of the Sun. Each will provide additional new data on solar activity and solar system dynamics. In addition, the probe will also continue its flybys of Venus to improve its speed and orbit around the Sun.
The Parker Solar Probe mission plays an important role in modern astrophysics, helping scientists better understand the physical processes occurring on the Sun and their impact on the objects and space around it. The probe collects data on temperature and magnetic fields, plasma jets and solar winds for solar physics and plasma research.
This mission was a real breakthrough in the study of the Sun and an important step towards expanding knowledge about solar activity, its patterns and consequences for the Earth and our Solar system as a whole.