SPACE — NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has reached a speed that breaks the record for a human-made object. This latest speed was obtained due to the help of Venus’ gravity which pushed it as it plunged closer to the surface of the hot sun.
On September 27, 2023, the probe reached a blistering speed of 394,736 mph or 635,266 km/h as it dived close to the sun’s surface. With this approach, the probe broke the previous speed record, 364.660 mph or 586.863 kmh, which it also achieved in November 2021.
At the same time, this probe set a new distance record with the sun. It dives only 4.51 million miles or 7.26 million km from the sun’s surface. According to NASA, that number is closer than any spacecraft ever orbited before.
The trajectory of Venus is a critical element of Parker Solar Probe’s efforts to study the sun’s scorching surface. As the probe increases the distance to Venus, the planet absorbs some of Parker’s orbital energy, allowing it to get closer to the sun.
Also read: Why doesn’t the NASA plane melt when it touches the sun?
This vehicle has one more flyby planned. It will try to approach the surface of the sun at a distance of 3.83 million miles or 6.16 million km at the end of 2024.
When it does, the heat-resistant craft will likely reach even higher speeds, cementing its reputation as the fastest man-made object ever.
Parker Solar launched in August 2018 on a seven-year mission to study the sun’s corona, or the outermost layer of the sun’s atmosphere. At least, there are three main issues that must be answered:
1. How heat moves through the corona.
2. How plasma and magnetic fields change on the surface of the sun.
3. How phenomena like the solar wind will help scientists better predict space weather.
Sumber: Live Science
2023-10-17 09:55:00
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