The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Parker Solar Probe spacecraft will make a record approach to the Sun on December 24, 2024. The probe will enter the star’s atmosphere and pass 6 million kilometers from its surface – closer than any man-made object in history.
As Day.Az reports with reference to Gazeta.ru, this was reported on the official website of the American Space Administration.
According to experts, Parker Solar Probe will come seven times closer to the Sun than previous spacecraft. It will reach a speed of 690 thousand kilometers per hour.
NASA noted that the probe will be able to pass through plasma plumes still connected to the star’s surface “like a surfer diving under an ocean wave.” The device is equipped with a thermal shield that can withstand temperatures up to 1371°C.
Scientists hope that Parker Solar Probe will be able to collect information about the solar surface. The probe is expected to send a beacon signal on December 27 to confirm its success and functionality.
The device will remain in this orbit until the end of its mission, completing two more perihelions at the same distance.