NASA’s Solar Probe Embarks on a Daring Journey Through the Heart of Our Star

Daring Mission to the Sun’s Upper Atmosphere

The Parker Solar Probe is preparing to embark on its most ambitious journey yet: flying through the Sun’s outer layers in a bid to unravel the mysteries of our star’s scorching hot winds.

Ever since its launch in 2018, the spacecraft has been performing record-breaking flybys of the Sun, with its closest approach yet scheduled for Christmas Eve. At that time, the probe will come within 3.8 million miles of the solar surface, plunging straight into the Sun’s upper atmosphere – the corona.

The Corona: A Region of Extreme Temperatures

The corona is a vast region surrounding the Sun, where charged particles of plasma swirl amidst powerful magnetic fields. During solar eclipses, the corona appears as an aureole of light around the blacked-out star. Paradoxically, the corona is hundreds of times hotter than the surface of the Sun, reaching temperatures up to 3.6 million degrees Fahrenheit – a phenomenon that scientists still struggle to explain.

Unraveling the Secrets of Solar Winds

The Parker Solar Probe aims to shed light on the mechanisms behind solar winds, which are thought to originate from the corona. These winds travel at ludicrous speeds of around one million miles per hour, protecting the solar system against more powerful emissions from deep space. Despite their extreme temperatures and speeds, scientists still don’t fully understand why solar winds behave in this way.

A Daring Feat of Engineering

To achieve its mission objectives, the Parker Solar Probe must navigate the treacherous environment of the corona with precision. The spacecraft will need to withstand extreme temperatures – both hot and cold – while gathering valuable data about the Sun’s upper atmosphere. As NASA chief of Science Nicky Fox notes, “Quite simply, we want to find the birthplace of the solar wind.