Will Parker Solar Probe successfully transmit data after closest approach on Dec 24, 2024?
Yes • 50%
No • 50%
NASA official announcements or press releases
NASA's Parker Solar Probe to Make Historic Closest Approach to Sun on Christmas Eve
Dec 23, 2024, 11:46 AM
NASA's Parker Solar Probe is set to make a historic closest approach to the sun on December 24, 2024, at 6:53 a.m. EST, Christmas Eve. The spacecraft will come within a record-breaking 3.8 million miles (approximately 6.1 million kilometers) of the sun's surface, closer than any human-made object has ever ventured to a star. Launched in 2018, the probe aims to study the sun's corona and solar wind, despite extreme temperatures that reach 1 million°F outside. Thanks to its 4.5-inch-thick heat shield, the spacecraft maintains an internal temperature of 85°F. During this perihelion, it will travel at speeds up to 430,000 mph (approximately 690,000 km/h), making it the fastest object ever built by humans. Communication with the probe is not possible during the closest approach due to interference from the sun. Scientists hope this mission will provide unprecedented insights into solar phenomena.
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No • 50%
Yes • 50%
Technical issues prevented data collection • 25%
Inconclusive data • 25%
Confirmation of existing theories • 25%
Significant new insights into solar corona • 25%
No confirmation received • 25%
Unsuccessful approach • 25%
Successful approach and data collection • 25%
Successful approach, no data collected • 25%
Yes • 50%
No • 50%
Inspires new missions • 25%
No impact on future missions • 25%
Leads to international collaborations • 25%
Alters existing mission plans • 25%
No significant new insights • 25%
New insights into solar corona • 25%
New insights into solar wind • 25%
New insights into solar magnetic fields • 25%