NASA’s new spacecraft will travel within 26 MILES of the sun in order to gather data that will help scientist better predict solar storms

Dailymail.com ^ | 01/28/2020 | Stacy Liberatore

[BenLurkin]

In collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA), the team is launching the Solar Orbiter that will use Venus's and Earth's gravity to swing itself out of the ecliptic plane — the area of space aligned with the sun's equator, where all planets orbit.

From this position, the craft will feast its eyes on the first-ever look of the massive yellow dwarf star, which will provide scientists with better data to predict solar storms more accurately.

Solar Orbiter is equipped with a custom-designed titanium heat shield coated with a specific phosphate that withstands temperatures over 900 degrees Fahrenheit, allowing it to get within 26 miles of the blazing sun.

[NormsRevenge]

26 miles.. not likely.. that’d singe the old cat’s whiskers and then some. that must be some shield

[Mark]

It’ a dry heat, so not so bad.

[Flash Bazbeaux]

Los Angeles to Catalina Island close.

[LIConFem]

I hope they slathered that thing with sun block.

[jazusamo]

New Math, that must be it. :^)

Our kids were in grammar school in the 70’s when they came out with the first new math fiasco, there was no way I could help them.

Thank heavens it didn’t last long.

[Governor Dinwiddie]

Speaking as an engineer and a mathematician I think this is ridiculous. How can we get any spacecraft that close to the sun????

I worked for Fairchild Space Company, now merged with Martin Marietta. I worked on top secret Navy satellites. We built those them tough as sh*t. But I know damn well right they would not stand up within 26 miles of the the Sun. This reporter has to be nuts.

[JAKraig]

26 miles is impossible. That would be at the surface where the temperature is some 10,000 degrees F. Titanium won’t handle that kind of temperature.

[yesthatjallen]

The heat must be incredible.

Yes, but it's a dry heat.

[Pox]

Interesting.

Currently, the Parker Solar Probe is already closer than that to the Sun.

The last update at the Parker Solar Probe site has this probe at 11,675,969 miles from the Sun moving along at 243,562 mph. It's primary heat shield is currently registering 1,128.8°F.

The probe is getting closer by the minute.

[shotgun]

After the mission NASA will release a report that Sun only has a few years left because of global warming...

[W.]

“We get signal!”

“What it say?”

“Poof!”

[EEGator]

Isn’t it millions of degrees in the Sun’s corona?

[Redcitizen]

The heat is on.

[EEGator]

"Yes, but it's a dry heat."

[Bryan24]

26 miles. Here is a preview of the photos.

[reg45]

If you were calculating the difference between 26 miles and 26 million miles, then it would be 25,999,976 miles, not 26,999,974 miles. However, the error in the precision of the calculation of the distance from the sun will be far greater than 26 miles.

[Billthedrill]

I think I can see the flag.

[eyedigress]

At least it isn’t at our earths core.

Man Bear Pig says that is millions of degrees.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14kNtnJgXXM

[oldvirginian]

I have a grandson contending with the common core crap. My daughter has to get on the internet to research how to help him and she was a math wizard in school.

We are “educating” generations of illiterate ignorants.

[eyedigress]

I thought that was Mars?