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The Parker solar probe, featured in this animation, became the closest spacecraft to the sun on October 29, 2018. Image via NASA / JHUAPL.
The Parker Solar Probe now holds the record for the closest approach to the sun by a human-made object. The space shuttle – which was launched on August 12, 2018 – surpassed the current record of 43 million kilometers (26.55 million miles) from the surface of the sun yesterday (October 29, 2018).
The previous record of closest solar approach was established by the German-American Helios 2 satellite in April 1976. As the Parker Solar Probe mission progressed, the spacecraft will repeatedly beat its own records, with final close-up approach of 3.83 million miles (6.2 million km) from the expected 2024 sun surface.
Parker's solar probe will begin its first solar encounter tomorrow (October 31), continuing to fly closer and closer to the sun's surface until its first perihelion, the closest point to the sun, November 5 . The satellite will experience intense heat and radiation while providing humanity with closer observations of an unprecedented star and helping us understand the phenomena that have puzzled scientists for decades.
Project director Andy Driesman of Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab said in a statement:
The Solar Parker solar probe was launched only 78 days earlier, and we are now closer to our star than any other spacecraft in history. It's a moment of pride for the team, even if we remain focused on our first solar encounter, which begins on October 31st.
Parker Solar Probe is also expected to break the record for the fastest spacecraft traveling against the sun, also on October 29th. The current heliocentric speed record is 153,454 miles at the time, established by Helios 2 in April 1976.
According to a statement by NASA:
The Parker Solar Probe team periodically measures the precise speed and position of the spacecraft using NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN). The DSN sends a signal to the spacecraft, which then retransmits it, allowing the team to determine the speed and position of the spacecraft according to the timing and characteristics of the signal. The speed and position of Parker Solar Probe was calculated from DSN measurements taken on October 24th. The team then used this information, as well as known orbital forces, to calculate the speed and position of the spacecraft from that point.
The lunar calendars 2019 are here! Order yours before they leave. Makes a great gift.
In conclusion: Parker's solar probe broke the sun's approach record by an object of human fabrication on October 29, 2018.
Via NASA
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