On June 22, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe probe came 16 times closer to the Sun – less than 9.6 million km. At such an altitude, the temperature of the solar corona reaches one million degrees Celsius. The probe’s 11.4 cm thick heat screen allows the instrument’s scientific instruments to operate at a comfortable temperature of around 30°C and to collect unique data that would otherwise not be available.

Surprisingly, we still do not know the intricacies of the physical processes that occur inside the Sun. For example, even the best telescopes on Earth or in orbit do not allow to collect complete data on processes in the Sun’s corona. The Parker probe receives information directly from the source, so to speak, by recording the nucleation sites, motion directions and energy levels of the charged particles leaving the Sun. The probe was able to see how and where the solar wind originates from during one of its recent flybys to the Sun, and explained the mystery of this phenomenon to science.

The probe’s scientific program is designed for 24 approaches to the Sun. The device, released in 2018, should collect a lot of data that will allow scientists to better predict space weather, which will increase the reliability of the work of satellite groups, terrestrial communications and manned flights. We have not yet flown to Mars, and the success of the mission will also depend on the knowledge gained about space storms and recessions.

In addition to the planned 24 dives into the solar atmosphere, the Parker Solar Probe was required to make 7 close flybys near Venus. It has already made five such flights, and two remain. A close flyby of Venus helps the ship do a gravitational maneuver, including some braking. Luckily, the device collects data about Venus that will never be superfluous. On August 21 this year, Parker will approach the Morning Star for the sixth time, and on September 27, it will make its 17th approach to the Sun.