The spaceship Parker Solar Probe is getting ready today, christmas eveto approach him Helium closer than ever to study its atmosphere.

The US space agency’s unmanned spacecraft (NASA) launched in August 2018 a seven-year mission, aiming to reveal the secrets of the Sun – e.g. about solar storms impacting our telecommunications.

Today Tuesday, at 13:53 (Greece time), the Parker Solar Probe will pass within 6.2 million kilometers of the Sun’s surface, closer than any other probe in the past.

Researcher Arik Posner, who is part of the scientific team of the mission, does not hide that he is looking forward to receiving the first update from the spacecraft, in order to extract data and draw conclusions. It’s a “bold mission” by NASA, a historic “achievement” aimed at “answering long-standing questions” about the universe, he explains.

NASA staff will temporarily lose contact with the craft, waiting to receive a signal on Friday. On its approach to the Sun, the Parker Solar Probe will travel at a speed of 690,000 km/h – which would allow it to reach from Tokyo to Washington in less than a minute. Its heat shield is designed to withstand extreme temperatures of 870-930 degrees Celsius.

If all goes as originally planned, Parker Solar Probe will make two more approaches to the Sun to collect science data: on March 22 and June 19, 2025.

Parker Solar Probe, traveling at 692,000 kilometers per hour, has already broken records for the closest human object to the Sun, surpassing the previous record set by the Helios 2 spacecraft in 1976. During this final approach, the spacecraft mission will pass through creatures and may encounter a solar flare, offering unique images of the Sun’s dynamics.

One of the key features of the mission is its protective heat shield, which is designed to withstand temperatures of up to 2,500°F, protecting the spacecraft’s sensitive scientific instruments. This shield has ensured the success of the mission, allowing the collection of valuable data on the solar wind and the energy emitted by the Sun.