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solar probe

Parker Solar Probe

NASA space probe launched in 2018 to study the solar corona and solar wind, named after Eugene Parker.

Active Verified 2026-10-20

Overview

Overview

The Parker Solar Probe (PSP) is a NASA space probe designed to study the solar corona and solar wind. It was launched on August 12, 2018, and is the first spacecraft to fly through the Sun's atmosphere (the corona). The mission was renamed in 2017 in honor of Eugene Parker, a Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus at the University of Chicago, who proposed the concept of the solar wind in the 1950s and theorized about the heating of the solar corona. It was the first time NASA named a mission for a living individual.

Science Objectives

The primary science goals of the mission are:

  • To trace the flow of energy that heats and accelerates the solar corona and solar wind.
  • To determine the structure and dynamics of the plasma and magnetic fields at the sources of the solar wind.
  • To explore mechanisms that accelerate and transport energetic particles.

Technical Features and Trajectory

The probe uses seven Venus flybys to gradually shrink its orbit around the Sun, reaching a minimum distance of 3.83 million miles (6.16 million kilometers) from the Sun's surface. At closest approach, the probe travels at approximately 430,000 miles per hour. The probe's front thermal shield withstands temperatures of up to 2,600°F (1,400°C), while the payload remains near room temperature (85°F). The primary mission included 24 solar orbits and ended in 2025. The probe continues to operate in its current orbit, and future steps are under NASA review.

Uncertainties and Status

The provided evidence does not specify a unique official catalog identifier. The mission status is described as active, with ongoing operations beyond the primary mission. No data from other sources or preprints are included.

Essential data

Key fact
2350

Sources and references

  1. NASA SP-6503 Introduction to the Derivation of Mission Requirements Profiles NASA
  2. Mission Assurance Guidelines for A-D Mission Risk Classes NASA
  3. The Mission - Parker Solar Probe NASA
  4. Table of Contents - NODIS Library - NASA NASA
  5. SLS Mission Planner's Guide 2018-12-19.pdf - Explorer NASA
  6. Documents Applicable to All Missions - Deep Space Network NASA
  7. STANDARD PI-LED MISSION TEMPLATE NASA
  8. NASA SPACE MISSION ARCHITECTURE FRAMEWORK ( ... NASA