The Parker Solar Probe, a space apparatus designed to study the Sun, is gearing up to set new records in its mission. After over six years of travel in space, the probe is now entering the final stages of its mission, which are expected to be the most thrilling yet.
On November 6, 2024, the Parker Solar Probe will execute its seventh and final gravitational maneuver near Venus, a crucial step in determining its future trajectory. The probe will come within just 317 kilometers from the surface of Venus, allowing it to capture some of the planet’s kinetic energy.
This change in trajectory will bring the Parker Solar Probe closer to the Sun than ever before. By December 24, 2024, the device will achieve a record proximity to the star, reaching a distance of only 8.86 solar radii, approximately 6.2 million kilometers away.
Not only will this mission set a distance record, but the Parker Solar Probe will also break the speed record for spacecraft. After the maneuver near Venus, the probe will reach an incredible speed of 192 km/s (691,200 km/h), surpassing its previous maximum speed of 176 km/s in 2023-2024.
This close approach to the Sun was made possible by the unique heat shield of the Parker Solar Probe, which protects its sensitive instruments from the extreme temperatures, enabling scientific research at such close proximity to the star.
Throughout its mission, the Parker Solar Probe has made numerous scientific discoveries. One significant finding was the observation of “magnetic switching” in the solar wind, a phenomenon where the magnetic field appears to fold back upon itself as solar particles move away from the Sun.
Additionally, the probe has provided valuable data on coronal streamers, structures in the solar corona that were previously only observed from a distance, such as during total solar eclipses. The Parker Solar Probe was the first spacecraft to fly through these enigmatic formations.
During its journey, the probe managed to capture unique images of the planets in our solar system. On June 7, 2020, during its fifth perihelion, the Parker Solar Probe captured an image of the six planets closest to the Sun lined up in a row: Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Venus, Earth, and Mercury.
With each new perihelion, the point of closest approach to the Sun, the Parker Solar Probe’s view of the star becomes increasingly impressive. In its current orbit, the Sun appears 28 times larger than its view from Earth’s surface, increasing its visible area by over 750 times