Overview

• The Parker Solar Probe is set to come within 3.8 million miles of the Sun's surface on December 24, the closest any human-made object has ever approached the star.
• This mission aims to study the Sun's corona, the outermost atmospheric layer, to better understand phenomena like solar wind acceleration and the heating of the corona.
• The spacecraft, traveling at a record 430,000 miles per hour, is equipped with a heat shield capable of withstanding temperatures up to 2,500°F while keeping its instruments at room temperature.
• Scientists expect the probe's findings to improve predictions of space weather, which can impact satellites, power grids, and future astronaut missions.
• The Parker Solar Probe has already made history, becoming the first spacecraft to touch the Sun's atmosphere in 2021, and its mission will continue into 2025 with additional close encounters.