[ad_1]
NASA will launch in a few days a probe to study the "red zone", one of the most dangerous areas of the Sun, as part of a risky mission.
On August 6th, the Parker Solar Probe will be sent into space to study the atmosphere of our star. The spacecraft will sometimes be as close as 6.1 million kilometers to the giant fireball. "Many people think that this distance is not particularly small," says Nicola Fox, chief scientist for the project at the US Space Agency. But if I place the Sun and the Earth on either side of a football field, the probe will be about a meter from the end zone of the Sun. "
Named in the honor of the astrophysicist Eugene Parker – the first living scientist to gain this distinction – the probe will enter the upper layer of the Sun, called the solar corona.As this layer n & # It is not very dense, it is difficult to study.The only time it can be seen is during an eclipse, or with a special instrument that blocks the sunlight.
In addition to the study of the solar corona, the probe will also be used to try to predict the solar time. " Because if the Sun is essential to life on Earth, it is not a friendly neighbor either. As evidence, solar flares, which occur in the colder regions of the star, are often followed by ejections in which particles called plasma are projected into space and travel in sidereal vacuum, propelled by the solar winds. These events can lead to an overdose of radio waves or even the breakdown of power distribution networks.
"It is important to be able to predict spatial conditions, such as our prediction of weather conditions on Earth," says Alex Young. , a scientist working at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. With the Parker Solar Probe mission, scientists seek to better understand solar flares as well as other aspects of the Sun, such as the crown, magnetic field and winds.
To protect against the radiation and heat of the sun, the probe will need a technological boost. Indeed, the machine will have to withstand temperatures around 1400 degrees Celsius. To do this, the probe is equipped with a ceramic shield that will always be oriented towards the Sun. The solar panels that power the spacecraft will retract with each approach near the star, will not be exposed to sunlight, while a refrigeration system will be used to prevent the probe from breaking into flames.
If all goes well, the probe will be launched on August 6th and will arrive around the Sun on November 1st. The craft will then begin an orbit of the star for 88 days, which will carry it further than Venus. Closer to the Sun in 2024, the Parker Solar Probe will run at a speed of 692,000 km / h.
Source link
