Why the Parker Solar Probe is NASA's most exciting mission | Michelle Thaller | Big Think | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

NASA's Parker Solar Probe is set to orbit close to the sun, gathering data on the mysterious hot atmosphere known as the corona.

Key Insights

• 😚 The Parker Solar Probe is orbiting closer to the Sun than any other human-made object, providing valuable data on the Sun's corona.
• 🥵 The corona's extreme heat remains a mystery, and the mission aims to uncover the causes behind its high temperature.
• 🥵 The spacecraft's heat shield plays a vital role in protecting the probe and must be positioned correctly to shield it from the Sun's intense heat.
• 😒 The Parker Solar Probe relies on solar power but uses small solar panels due to its proximity to the Sun.

Transcript

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Questions & Answers

Q: How close will the Parker Solar Probe get to the Sun?

The probe will fly within about four million miles of the Sun's surface, which is approximately four times the diameter of the Sun.

Q: How fast will the Parker Solar Probe be traveling at its fastest?

The probe will reach speeds of nearly 400,000 miles per hour as it loops around the Sun and comes back out, making it the fastest human-made spacecraft ever.

Q: What is the purpose of the mission?

The mission aims to study the Sun's corona, which is much hotter than the Sun's surface, in order to unravel the mystery behind its high temperature and understand the various theories proposed.

Q: How does the Parker Solar Probe protect itself from the Sun's heat?

The probe is equipped with a heat shield, which is only about six inches thick and made of a carbon composite material with a reflective aluminum coating. This shield helps protect the spacecraft from the Sun's radiation.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The Parker Solar Probe is a spacecraft that will fly through the Sun's corona, reaching a distance of about four million miles from the Sun's surface.

• Over the course of seven years and 24 orbits, the probe will get closer and faster, reaching speeds of nearly 400,000 miles per hour.

• The mission aims to study the corona, which is significantly hotter than the Sun's surface, in order to understand its origins and the mechanisms behind its high temperature.