NASA’s Parker Solar Probe Completes Second Close Flyby of the Sun at Record Speed

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has made its second close flyby of the sun. The spacecraft travelled at a speed of 692000 kilometres per hour. It moved within 6.1 million kilometres of the sun. This event took place on March 22. A signal confirming its good health was received on March 25. The signal confirmed that all systems on board were working as planned. The probe was designed to study solar winds and collect data from the sun’s outer atmosphere. The mission is being used to help scientists understand solar activity that affects Earth.

More About The Mission

According to NASA’s announcement, the probe’s instruments were activated during the pass. They were used to study the corona. This is the outer layer of the sun’s atmosphere. The spacecraft was operated on its own during the flyby. It had been programmed in advance. Scientists believe this data may help them understand why the corona is hotter than the sun’s surface. The data is also being used to study changes in space weather. This information is considered important for protecting satellites and communication systems on Earth.

Quote from NASA

In a press release issued by NASA, acting Administrator Janet Petro said that the mission has entered a zone no spacecraft has visited before. Petro said this while addressing the media at the agency’s Washington headquarters. She said that the research is expected to change how solar science is studied in the future.

Award given to the team

As per a statement released by the National Aeronautic Association, the mission team was given the 2024 Robert J. Collier Trophy. The team includes experts from NASA and Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. Ralph Semmel, Director at Johns Hopkins APL, said that the mission was once believed to be impossible. He shared this in an interview with NASA’s press team. The next close flyby is expected to take place on June 19.