NASA has embarked on a mission that will see a man-made object travel faster than ever before and closer to the sun than any previous attempt. The Parker Solar Probe will orbit the Sun approximately 6.1 million kilometers near the solar body, where it will experience temperatures of approximately 1,400 degrees Celsius while hurtling at ultra-high speeds of 435,000 mph.
Project scientist Dr Nour Raouafi told BBC News: ” We’re basically landing on a star. This will be a monumental achievement for all humanity. This is equivalent to the 1969 moon landing.
Although 6.1 million kilometers seems like a huge distance between the Sun and the probe, this distance is said to be equivalent to about 4% of the distance between the Earth and the Sun (about 149 million kilometers).
As for why this mission is performed, its purpose is to understand some key solar processes, including the corona, the sun’s atmosphere.
The mission will take place on December 24, which means science lovers will be able to wake up to an extra gift on Christmas morning.
#NASA #Plans #Achieve #Touch #Sun #Mission #December #Gamereactor
