NASA’s solar probe to make its closest approach to Sun
MNP – NASA’s groundbreaking Parker Solar Probe is set to achieve its closest approach to the Sun on Christmas Eve, coming within a record-breaking distance of 3.8 million miles (6.2 million kilometres) from its surface.
Launched in August 2018, the spacecraft is on a seven-year mission to enhance our understanding of the Sun and improve predictions of space weather that can impact life on Earth. The historic perihelion will occur on Tuesday, December 24, at 6:53am Eastern Time (11:53 GMT).
To illustrate its proximity, if the Sun-Earth distance were scaled to an American football field, Parker would be just four yards (3.65 meters) from the end zone.
“This is one example of Nasa’s bold missions, doing something that no one else has ever done before to answer longstanding questions about our universe,” said Arik Posner, the Parker solar probe programme scientist, in a statement. “We can’t wait to receive that first status update from the spacecraft and start receiving the science data in the coming weeks.”
During this closest approach, known as perihelion, direct communication with Parker will be temporarily lost, with mission teams relying on a “beacon tone” this Friday to confirm its status.
