Context
NASA spacecraft ‘safe’ after closest-ever approach to Sun
About Parker Solar Probe
- Parker Solar Probe completed the closest-ever approach to the Sun by any human-made object.
- The spacecraft passed just 3.8 million miles (6.1 million km) from the Sun’s surface into the corona (Sun’s outer atmosphere).
- Purpose: To aid scientists in studying the Sun and understanding solar phenomena.
- Technological Achievements:
- The mission represents cutting-edge engineering, withstanding extreme speeds and temperatures.
- Provides in-situ measurements of the Sun’s environment, enabling breakthroughs in understanding solar dynamics and their impact on Earth.
Mission Highlights:
- Launched in 2018: The probe uses flybys of Venus to gravitationally tighten its orbit around the Sun.
- Speed: Travels at up to 430,000 mph (692,000 kph).
- Temperature Endurance: Endures up to 1,800°F (982°C).
- Objectives:
- Study the corona to understand how material is heated to millions of degrees.
- Trace the origin of the solar wind, the continuous flow of charged particles escaping the Sun.
- Discover how energetic particles are accelerated to near light speed.
Source: TH
Previous Year Question
Which of the following pair(s) is/are correctly matched?
Spacecraft: Purpose
1. Cassini-Huygens: Orbiting the Venus and transmitting data to the Earth
2. Messenger: Mapping and investigating the Mercury
3. Voyager 1 & 2: Exploring the outer solar system
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2014 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (b)