Solar Science

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.

The Inouye Solar Telescope

The Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, perched atop Haleakala, a dormant volcano in Hawaii, is the most powerful solar telescope in the world. Its recent release of stunningly detailed images of the sun’s surface has captivated astronomers and the public alike.

The telescope’s 13-foot mirror and advanced adaptive optics system, which reduces atmospheric blurring, allow it to capture images with unprecedented resolution. These images reveal a turbulent, “boiling” expanse of plasma that covers the entire sun. Each of these plasma kernels, or “cell-like structures,” is roughly the size of Texas.

The Sun’s Dynamic Nature

The sun is a constant swirl of violent activity. It burns approximately 5 million tons of hydrogen fuel every second, releasing energy that radiates into space. This energy twists and tangles the sun’s magnetic fields, creating a dynamic environment.

This solar activity can have significant effects on Earth. Coronal mass ejections, for instance, can shoot charged particles into space that can disrupt satellites, telecommunications, and power grids.

Space Weather

Scientists refer to the conditions on the sun, in the solar wind, and within Earth’s magnetosphere, ionosphere, and thermosphere as “space weather.” The Inouye Solar Telescope is expected to enhance our understanding of space weather, allowing us to better predict and mitigate its effects.

Currently, the standard notification time for space weather is just 48 minutes. Experts aim to extend this to 48 hours, providing more time to protect infrastructure and satellites.

Unraveling the Sun’s Secrets

The Inouye Solar Telescope is not only providing stunning visuals but also shedding light on some of the sun’s most perplexing mysteries. For instance, scientists are eager to understand why the corona, the sun’s outer atmosphere, is millions of degrees hotter than its surface.

The telescope’s advanced capabilities will enable scientists to collect more data about the sun in its first five years of operation than has been gathered since Galileo first turned a telescope towards the sun in 1612.

The Future of Solar Exploration

The release of these first images is just a glimpse into the Inouye Solar Telescope’s potential. Scientists are eagerly anticipating the wealth of new insights and discoveries that will emerge from this powerful instrument.

With its unprecedented resolution and advanced technology, the Inouye Solar Telescope promises to revolutionize our understanding of the sun and its impact on our planet.

Send Your Name to the Sun with the Parker Solar Probe