Parker Solar Probesolar windNamed by Eugene Parker, a pioneer of science, emeritus professor of the University of Chicago and astronomerspacecraftIs the first NASA spacecraft named after a living person.The solar probe (SP) is the first to fly into the sunCoronaThe aircraft is located only 9 suns above the surface of the sunradiusAt.The instruments of the solar probe detect what they encounterPlasma, magnetic field and waveHigh-energy particleAnd dust.They also affect the structure of the corona near the orbit of the solar detector and the dipole structure at the bottom of the coronaimaging。
On May 31, 2017, NASA announced at the William Eckhardt Research Center of the University of Chicago that it would launch the "Parker Solar Probe" in the summer of 2018, which would be equipped with a carbon composite coat up to 12 cm thick, capable of withstanding the heat and radiation up to 1400 degrees Celsius, and flying at a speed of 720000 kilometers per hour in the place closest to the sun.
On August 11, 2018, NASA is expected to launch the "Parker Solar Probe", which is the first time that humans directly "touch" the sun.[1]However, due to the pressure alarm of the nitrogen container, the launch was delayed for 24 hours, and is expected to be launched at the same time on August 12.[2]
15:31, August 12, 2018, "Parker"Solar detectorThe successful launch will observe the sun from an unprecedented close range, which is the first solar observation mission that will cross the corona.On October 29, the Parker Solar Probe broke on the same dayHelios 2The record set in 1976 (42.73 million kilometers from the sun's surface) is the closestsunlightA man-made object.[3]It will continue to move forward, and is expected to fly to a predetermined position in the first ten days of November (24 million kilometers away from the sun's surface)
On September 1, 2019, NASA's "Parker" solar probe flew over the orbit for the third timePerihelion。[4]
On January 29, 2020, Parker completed his fourth recent flight.[5]
In April 2021, Parker crossed the Alvin interface and entered the solar atmosphere.[16]
The original name of this probe is "Solar Probe+". In May 2017, it was renamed after Eugene Parker, an honorary professor in the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics of the University of Chicago. It is a part of NASA's "Coexistence with the Sun" program.Parker predicted the existence of the solar wind in 1958.This prediction was confirmed by the data obtained by the spacecraft several years later.[6]
Launch plan
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Parker Solar Probe
On May 31, 2017, NASA announced at the William Eckhardt Research Center of the University of Chicago that it would launch a solar probe about 3m high and wearing a 12cm thick carbon composite protective cover in the summer of 2018.Unlike any spacecraft in history, it will fly directly into the orbit of the sun's outer atmosphere and corona, only 6.5 million kilometers from the sun's surface, to explore and observe the outside of the sun and understand the solar wind.This will be the first time that a human probe has touched the sun so closely.[7]
On March 28, 2018, Greenbelt, Maryland, the United States, held a media preview of the Parker Solar Probe, which was finally tested before being transported to NASA Kennedy Space Center.[8]This new solar probe is scheduled to be launched on August 12, 2018[9]This will be a historic mission. It is the first time that a human probe has entered the sun's atmosphere (or corona), and it is closer to the sun than any previous spacecraft.[8]
Flight plan
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Parker lifts off
After launch, the probe will lower the perihelion of its elliptical orbit with the help of seven flyovers of Venus.It will be about 24.1 million kilometers away from the solar photosphere when it first passes the perihelion in November, and will be reduced to 6.16 million kilometers in December 2024, about 4% of the sun earth distance.During these close flyovers, solar scientists intend to use on-board instruments to better understand the formation of the solar wind and the extreme heating mechanism of the corona.A total of 24 overflights are planned for the whole mission, which will last until the middle of 2025.After launch, "Parker" at 19:45 p.m. on October 2, 2018（US Eastern Time, equivalent togmt23:45), passing near Venus.On November 5, 2018, we arrived at perihelion for the first time.[6]
Detection record
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Exploratory Map
Used at 3:33 a.m. on August 11, 2018 in Cape Canaveral, FloridaDelta IV Heavy RocketLaunch the "Parker Solar Probe" to carry out the first mission to explore the sun.Unexpectedly, after the launch entered the countdown, technical failures delayed the plan.When the launch was only 1 minute and 55 seconds away, the rocket manufacturer United Launch Alliance said that it would try to launch again on the 12th after solving the helium pressure problem.[10]
On August 12, 2018, the fastest spacecraft in history, the American "Parker" solar probe, was launched, officially starting the first day by day journey through the corona to "touch" the sun, which will also become the most "hot" space exploration mission so far.[11]
At 1:50 p.m. on September 1, 2019, NASA's "Parker" solar probe flew over the perihelion of orbit for the third time.[4]
At 4:37 on January 29, 2020 (17:37 on January 29, Beijing time), the "Parker" solar probe completed its fourth recent flight.Its nearest distance from the sun is about 18.67 million kilometers, and its flight speed exceeds 393000 kilometers per hour, creating the fastest flight speed of human spacecraft again.In the previous three recent flights, "Parker" was about 24.14 million kilometers away from the sun.[5]
In April 2021, the "Parker" solar probe successfully passed through the outermost layer (corona) of the solar atmosphere, becoming the first spacecraft to "touch" the sun.Parker's first pass through the corona lasted only a few hours, but it will continue to hover close to the sun.The next solar overflight of the spacecraft will be carried out in January 2022.[14-15]
Mission plan
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In early October 2018, it flew over Venus for the first time, completing the first "gravitational slingshot", and then flew over the perihelion three times at almost the same height (about 24 million kilometers).According to the plan, it will implement the "gravitational slingshot" again in December 2019, and the orbital height of the four times of sweeping the sun will be about 4.5 million kilometers lower than the first three times.It is reported that the orbit height of the Parker for the last time was only about 6 million kilometers.
According to the plan, "Parker" has flown close to the sun 24 times in 6.4 years of service.
First, the time for scientific exploration was extended significantly for the first time.According to the mission plan, the "Parker" entered the "scientific stage" when approaching the perihelion, and opened theDetecting instrumentAnd look closely at the sun.The "scientific phase" of NASA's original planned mission was about 11.6 days long in the early stage, and gradually shortened to 9.6 days as the perihelion gradually decreased in the later stage.
The "scientific phase" of the third perihelion flight was adjusted to 35 days, more than three times the previous one.Such a long time window means that the distance between Parker and the sun's surface when the instrument is turned on is twice the original plan.[4]
Meaning of name
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Parker Solar Probe Poster
Thomas Zuposen, deputy director of NASA's Scientific Survey Bureau, announced that the probe would be named "Parker Solar Probe" in memory of Eugene Parker, an emeritus professor and astronomer at the University of Chicago. Parker is a pioneer of solar wind science.This is the first time that NASA has named a spacecraft after a living person.
NASA pointed out that the close detection of the sun will answer some difficult problems that have puzzled astronomers for a long time, help to reveal the sun's operating mechanism, understand the relationship between the sun, planets and the earth, improve human's ability to predict space weather, improve major weather events that will affect life on Earth, and assist space satellites and astronauts in observation.[7]
Device configuration
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Parker Solar Probe
The Parker Solar Probe was designed and built by the Applied Physics Laboratory of Johns Hopkins University.The launch weight of the detector is 646kg. It is equipped with a 11.4cm thick heat shield made of carbon composite materials, which can keep the temperature of the detector body (except for solar panels and a few scientific sensors) slightly higher than the room temperature under the external environment of nearly 1400 degrees Celsius.The detector is equipped with autonomous control software to ensure that the temperature sensitive components are not overheatedTemperature sensorTo determine the direction that the detector should take.In the detector temperature control systemPlatinum resistance thermometerThe problem of high failure rate was exposed in the test before transferring to the launch site, for which redundant configuration was added.
The observation instruments carried on the detector include 1. Solar wind electron, alpha particle and proton investigation "(SWEAP), which is used for counting and characteristic determination of electron, proton and helium ions in the solar wind.2. "Solar wind wide field of view imager" (WISPR) is used for three-dimensional imaging of the solar corona, solar wind and shock waves around the detector.3. The "Electromagnetic Field Survey" (FIELDS) will directly measure the electric and magnetic fields, radio radiation and shock waves of the plasma passing through the solar atmosphere, and act as a giant cosmic dust detector.4. "Integrated Scientific Survey of the Sun - High Energy Particle Instrument" (ISIS-EPI), consisting of two instruments, will monitor electrons, protons and ions accelerated to high energy state in the solar atmosphere.5. "Solar probe+heliosphere origin" (HeliOSSP).[6]
The detector also carries a memory card with 1.137 million names.[6]
Launch
On August 12, 2018, the "Parker" solar probeCape Canaveral Air BaseLaunch and take the Delta IV heavy rocket to start its daily journey.[12]
Observations
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On December 4, 2019, the British journal Nature published four important astrophysical research results - the original data of the "Parker" solar probe.The detector went beyond the heliosphere of the sun and reached about 24 million kilometers away from the sun. The instruments carried on the detector observed the activities in the corona, so as to help people understand the origin of the solar wind andHigh-energy particlePhysics provides new insights.[13]
world record
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At 21:25:24 on November 20, 2021, the "Parker Solar Probe" reached about 8542000 kilometers near the sun, setting the Guinness World Record for the closest probe to the sun.
On October 16, 2021, with the help of gravity when flying over Venus, the probe reached the latest perihelion (the closest point to the sun in its elliptical orbit), and also reached the fastest speed of the spacecraft - Guinness World at 586800 km/hRecords.[18]
