A solar probe, the fastest ship made by humans, capable of making a trip equivalent to that from New York to Tokyo in one minute, will have covered 96% of the distance that separates the Earth from the Sun this year, to collect information about the central star of our solar system.
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The findings of the mission, defined by the scientist who directs it, Dr. Nour Raouafi of Johns Hopkins University, as “equivalent to the 1969 moon landing,” will allow us to better understand the activity of the star, and thus, for example, form predict solar storms.
This phenomenon originates from winds that occur in the Sun's corona.causing flares that have the ability to affect the Earth's magnetic field, and cause interruptions in telecommunications.
The data that can be collected from this mission's observations could make it possible for scientists to develop a kind of solar weather service to forecast these events.
The Parker probe It will also allow us to understand some mysteries about the Sun, such as the fact that the atmosphere of this star, with its temperature of more than a million degrees Celsius, is much hotter than the surface, which “barely” reaches 6000ºC.
a trip to hell
To fulfill its mission, the Parker probe was manufactured from carbon compounds that shield it with a thick thermal shield, which offers protection to the instruments with which it hopes to measure charged particles and magnetic fluctuations.
But it is not only a coating issue. The success of the mission is based on the dizzying speeds that protect Parker in his foray into the solar furnace. The probe can reach 700,000 kilometers per hour, a movement that makes it immune to infernal conditions.
These speeds have a little help from Venus, as the ship orbits this planet to take advantage of its gravity and gain extra momentum. But this “springboard” only worked until the end of the year, because its orbit will no longer allow it to continue revolving around Venus.
Already in 2020, the mission was able to capture the first images and sounds of the solar wind, a record that amazed the entire world. But other findings collected since its launch in 2018 are defined as “a monumental achievement for humanity” by Raouafi.
“We are basically landing on a star,” highlights the scientist in charge of the project, the first of its kind in history.
This article has been adapted from its original English version
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