NASA's Parker Solar Probe Makes 2nd Daring Flyby of the Sun

Space.com ^ | 04/05/2019 | Meghan Bartels

[BenLurkin]

A similar process is playing out with the probe's speed: At the peak of its first two perihelions, the spacecraft traveled at about 213,200 mph (343,000 km/h), also breaking records, but future close approaches will see the Parker Solar Probe moving still faster.

These close grazes are anxious times for scientists and engineers on the mission because the spacecraft is out of communication with Earth for several days before and after each perihelion. The radio silence is designed to let the spacecraft focus on keeping its instruments tucked safely behind the thick shield that protects them from the incredible heat of the sun's outer atmosphere, the corona.

After the spacecraft retreats from the sun again in its orbit, the data gathered during the maneuver is sent back to scientists eagerly awaiting the information. The researchers hope to use that data to better understand the corona, where temperatures reach millions of degrees in Fahrenheit and Celsius alike.

The corona is also the source of the solar wind, a constant flow of charged particles that stream off of the sun and across the solar system. Because the solar wind can interfere with communication and navigation satellites in orbit around Earth, scientists hope to use the Parker Solar Probe data to better understand how the solar wind works, at its source.

[17th Miss Regt]

The radio silence is designed to let the spacecraft focus on keeping its instruments tucked safely behind the thick shield that protects them from the incredible heat of the sun's outer atmosphere, the corona.

Right. This is a government space mission. The radio silence is just another way for the Trump administration to withhold information from a Congress whose job it is to provide oversight of the government! (/Nadler)

[Dad was my hero]

I wonder if they’ll figure out if that “sun” thingy has anything to do with our climate? (do I really need the sarcasm tag?)

[scottinoc]

Hope we can land on the sun someday (obviously it would have to be at night).

[immadashell]

The researchers hope to use that data to better understand the corona, where temperatures reach millions of degrees in Fahrenheit and Celsius alike.

Maybe that data might convince some of the mostly brain dead liberals that the sun causes the earth to warm, not humans driving their SUVs.

[fieldmarshaldj]

*ping*

[Larry Lucido]

Just land on its pole. It’s colder there, right?

[MrEdd]

A “daring” inanimate object?

[C210N]

Land on a sunspot. It’s not as bright, and much much cooler.

[MrEdd]

You’re not allowed to post that without a picture of AOC.

[wally_bert]

Journey to the far side of the sun.

[Zathras]

AOC: “Would it work if you just close your eyes real tight?”

[COBOL2Java]

"I hope they did it at night!"

[cgbg]

Let’s land on the moon first...

http://centerforaninformedamerica.com/moondoggie/

[minnesota_bound]

Parker Solar Probe was the first. Voyager did it later on.

Star Trek - Voyager
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91sjIwxYLiU

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

I wonder if they’ll figure out if that “sun” thingy has anything to do with our climate?

Nah! The solar wind has no effect Earth's climate. It only interferes with communication and navigation satellites in orbit around Earth.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks fieldmarshaldj. 213,200 mph is really haulin', over 59 miles a second, wowzo.

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[AndyJackson]

This probe is named in honor of the great astrophysicist Eugene Paker. I spent a week with him at a conference once. Unique in this sordid profession of physics, Eugene is a true gentleman in every sense of the word.

Prolly a sign of white privilege or something, but people like him remind you of what we lose when we abandoned national standards of civilized behavior.

[Libloather]

Hope it has AC. A window unit should work just fine.

[Chode]