Parker Solar Probe

Have you heard of the ‘Parker Solar Probe’ ? It’s a new spacecraft that has been launched by NASA, (National Aeronautics & Space Administration) and it is very exciting.

The mission of the probe is to get closer to the sun than any other probe has ever been before, which will provide scientists with the closets view of the star.

See below picture of an artists impression of the ‘Parker Solar Probe’

 

Launching in August of 2018, the probe will arrive to the closest point to the sun by 2024. The probe will be navigated by using the gravity of the planet Venus.

Mission & Goals

The Parker Solar Probe’s mission upon arrival at the nearest point to the sun will be to:

• To probe the sun’s coronal plasma and magnetic fields.
• Asses the sun’s corona and solar winds.

Timeline of the mission

• Launching in August 2018, it will take 1 month to get to Venus.
• The probe will flyby roughly every year for roughly 7 years.
• In late 2024 the probe will make it’s first approach towards the sun.
• The Parker Solar Probe will have a mission life span of 7 or more years.

The end game for the Parker Solar Probe is to ‘Touch’ the first star by a spacecraft sent by the human race. How exciting.!!

Stay tuned to this website for further updates on the mission and for more interesting articles like this one.

 

Kids Fun Facts Corner

# 1. The Parker Solar Probe is named in honor of the physicist Eugene Parker.  

# 2. The manufacturer and operator of the Parker Solar Probe is the NASA Applied Physics Laboratory.

# 3. The Parker Solar Probe cost $1.5 billion.

 

Q&A Corner

Q. What does NASA stand for?

Q. Who is the Parker Solar Probe named after?  

Q. When was the Parker Solar Probe launched?

Q. When will the Parker Solar Probe arrive at the nearest point to the sun?

Q. What is the cost of the Parker Solar Probe?

Download questions about the Parker Solar Probe here: Parker Solar Probe (answers are on this page)

For further reading and more information on the Parker Solar Probe visit www.solarsystem.nasa/parker solar probe