How will Parker Solar Probe's data affect understanding of solar wind post-December 24, 2024?
New insights on solar wind origins • 25%
No significant new information • 25%
Confirms previous solar wind models • 25%
Data not yet analyzed • 25%
NASA press release or scientific publications
NASA's Parker Solar Probe to Make Historic Closest Approach to Sun at 3.8 Million Miles on Christmas Eve
Dec 22, 2024, 05:30 PM
NASA's Parker Solar Probe is set to achieve a historic milestone on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2024, by flying closer to the sun than any human-made object ever has. The spacecraft, on its 22nd orbit around the star, will approach within 3.8 million miles (6.1 million kilometers) of the sun's surface, marking the first of its three final closest flybys. Launched in 2018, the probe has been designed to withstand extreme temperatures up to 1,371 degrees Celsius and will travel at a speed of 430,000 mph (690,000 kph) during its closest approach. The mission aims to study the sun's corona and solar wind, providing insights into why the corona is significantly hotter than the sun's surface and how solar activity impacts Earth. Communication with the probe will be lost during the flyby, with mission managers expecting to receive a health update on December 27.
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Yes • 50%
No significant technological advancements • 25%
Advancements in solar energy • 25%
Improvements in spacecraft design • 25%
Enhancements in space weather prediction • 25%
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New insight into solar wind • 25%
Improved understanding of solar corona • 25%
Unexpected solar phenomena • 25%
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Significant insights on corona temperature • 25%
Significant insights on solar wind • 25%
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No impact on solar cycle understanding • 25%
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Significant impact on solar cycle understanding • 25%
Minimal impact on solar cycle understanding • 25%
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Second half of 2025 • 25%
First half of 2025 • 25%
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Confirmation of existing theories • 25%
Technical issues prevented data collection • 25%
Significant new insights into solar corona • 25%
Inconclusive data • 25%