NASA's Parker Solar Probe is set to break records with its closest approach to the Sun on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2024. This monumental flyby is scheduled for 6:53 a.m. EST, taking the spacecraft to just 6.1 million kilometres from the Sun’s surface. This will be the 22nd close encounter of the mission, marking another key milestone in its mission to explore the Sun.
Record-breaking close encounter
The Parker Solar Probe will fly through the Sun's outer atmosphere, known as the corona, at an incredible speed of 692,000 kilometres per hour. This high-speed journey will allow scientists to study the corona's extreme temperatures and its role in generating solar winds. The spacecraft’s specially designed heat shield can withstand temperatures of up to 1,377 degrees Celsius, protecting the probe during this unprecedented mission.
Updates and tracking the Flyby
Though the flyby will not be broadcast live, NASA will provide updates through official channels and the Parker Solar Probe mission blog. A status check from the spacecraft will be shared on December 27, followed by telemetry data on January 1, 2025. Initial scientific findings, including data on solar activity, are expected by late January.
What’s next for the Parker Solar probe?
The Christmas Eve flyby is just one of many planned for the Parker Solar Probe’s seven-year mission, which will conclude in 2025 with a total of 24 solar encounters. Future flybys in March and June 2025 will continue to gather crucial data, with future decisions on the probe’s orbit being made in the coming months.
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