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WG3K > ANS 12.01.25 01:24l 19 Lines 3888 Bytes #999 (0) @ AMSAT
BID : ANS012.2
Read: DJ6UX GUEST
Subj: Parker Solar Probe Achieves Closest-Ever Approach
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Sent: 250112/0008Z 12301@WG3K.#SMD.MD.USA.NOAM LinBPQ6.0.24
NASA's Parker Solar Probe reached a significant milestone on December 24, 2024, by coming within 3.8 million miles of the sun's surface-the closest a human-made object has ever traveled toward a star. The spacecraft confirmed its survival through a signal received at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) on December 26. This marks another step forward in the mission's effort to study the sun and its influence on the solar system. The probe, traveling at 430,000 miles per hour (692,000 kilometers per hour), continues to push the limits of solar exploration.
The mission allows the spacecraft to gather data from regions of the sun that were previously out of reach. Nicky Fox, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, said, "By studying the sun up close, we can better understand its impacts throughout our solar system, including on the technology we use daily on Earth, as well as learn about the workings of stars across the universe." This close approach opens the door for new measurements that could refine knowledge about solar wind, coronal heating, and other fundamental processes.
[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/NASA_Parker_Solar...]https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/NASA_Parker_Solar_Probe_TPS_Alignment.jpg
NASA's Parker Solar Probe during pre-launch testing at Astrotech located in Titusville, Florida. [Credit: NASAhttps://www.nasa.gov//Johns Hopkins APLhttps://www.jhuapl.edu/]
Launched in 2018, the Parker Solar Probe used seven Venus flybys to adjust its orbit and approach the sun. Its current orbit brings it near the sun every three months. A carbon foam heat shield, designed to withstand temperatures up to 2,600°F (1430°C), protects the spacecraft's instruments, which remain at a stable temperature. During its latest encounter, the shield endured temperatures of 1,800°F (980°C), demonstrating the durability of its design and construction.
The spacecraft has already provided valuable data about solar phenomena. It has observed magnetic field structures called switchbacks, which help explain plasma heating and acceleration. Adam Szabo, mission scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, noted, "This close approach will give us more data to understand how the solar wind is accelerated closer in." Measurements from within the solar corona offer new perspectives on how energy and particles move through this region.
[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/John_Hopkins_APL_...]https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/John_Hopkins_APL_Parker_Mission_Operations.jpg
Johns Hopkins APL confirmed that the Parker Solar Probe survived its close approach to the sun. [Credit: NASAhttps://www.nasa.gov//Johns Hopkins APLhttps://www.jhuapl.edu/]
The Parker Solar Probe has also contributed to studies of Venus, detecting thermal emissions from its surface and capturing images of its orbital dust ring. These observations highlight the spacecraft's ability to gather insights beyond its primary mission. Data from the recent solar pass will soon be transmitted to Earth, providing additional information for researchers.
Future solar passes are scheduled for March 22 and June 19, 2025. Ralph Semmel, John Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory Director, emphasized the team's efforts, stating, "Their incredible technological breakthroughs enabled this amazing mission, and they have delivered critical new insights that are revolutionizing our understanding of heliophysics and space weather." As part of NASA's Living With a Star program, the Parker Solar Probe continues to investigate the relationship between the sun and the Earth, providing valuable knowledge for science and society.
[ANS thanks the Michael Buckley and Mara Johnson-Groh, Johns Hopkins Universityhttps://hub.jhu.edu/ for the above information]
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