Parker Solar Probe: Send Your Name to the Sun
What is the Parker Solar Probe?
The Parker Solar Probe is a NASA spacecraft that will travel closer to the sun than any spacecraft before it. It will face brutal conditions in search of answers to burning questions about our star.
The probe is the size of a small car and is protected by a 4.5-inch-thick carbon-composite shield that can tolerate temperatures around 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit. It will carry instruments to study the sun’s magnetic fields, atmosphere, plasma, and energetic particles.
The “Hot Ticket” Program
NASA is inviting the public to submit their names online to be placed on a microchip that will travel on board the Parker Solar Probe. The program is called “Hot Ticket” and is accepting submissions until April 27. Those who sign up will receive a digital ticket to join the mission.
The Science Behind the Mission
Scientists hope to learn about how heat and energy move through the outermost part of the sun’s atmosphere, called the corona. They also want to explain how the solar wind accelerates. These changing conditions can spread out into the solar system and affect Earth.
The Challenges of the Mission
The Parker Solar Probe will be traveling at about 430,000 mph as it nears its closest range to the sun. It will face extreme heat, radiation, and magnetic fields. The spacecraft’s shield will be essential to protecting it from these harsh conditions.
The Timeline for the Mission
The Parker Solar Probe will launch in July 2018 and will make multiple loops around the sun before wrapping up in 2025. Depending on how the probe fares, the mission could be extended.
How to Sign Up for the “Hot Ticket” Program
To sign up for the “Hot Ticket” program, visit the NASA website. You will be asked to provide your name and email address. You will then receive a digital ticket to join the mission.
Additional Information
- The Parker Solar Probe is the first NASA mission to be named after a living person, Eugene Parker. Parker is a solar physicist who first proposed the idea of a solar wind in 1958.
- The Parker Solar Probe will carry a plaque with the names of everyone who signed up for the “Hot Ticket” program.
- NASA has a long history of inviting the public to join them on missions. In October 2017, the agency began asking the public to add their names to a list that will ride aboard the InSight lander, which will head to Mars later this year. NASA also sent nearly 1.4 million names to space in 2014 on Orion’s first test flight.
Conclusion
The Parker Solar Probe is a groundbreaking mission that will provide scientists with new insights into the sun. The “Hot Ticket” program gives the public a chance to be a part of this historic mission.
