To date, Parker Solar Probe has observed switchbacks, which are traveling disturbances in the solar wind that caused the magnetic field to bend back on itself, an as-yet unexplained phenomenon that might help scientists uncover more information about how the solar wind is accelerated from the Sun.

Latest News | September 16, 2020

Parker Solar Probe Mission Releases Science Data from Fourth Orbit
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Spacecraft Status

Current Mission: Orbit 5

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psp202009_0497.svg Parker Solar Probe Mission Trajectory and Current Position Parker Solar Probe Distance from Sun Future Orbit Past Orbit 250 200 150 100 50 0 Distance from Sun's Surface (RS) 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 Days from Launch Mercury Venus Earth Solar Probe Parker Heliocentric Velocity (km/s): 71.09 Distance from Sun Center (AU): 0.253 Distance from Sun's Surface (RS): 53.5 Distance from Earth (AU): 0.805 Round-Trip Light Time (hh:mm:ss): 00:13:24 21 Sep 2020 16:00:00 UTC

Countdown to next milestone

Solar Encounter Start: September 21, 2020, 18:43 UTC

Current Records Set By Parker Solar Probe

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What is Parker Solar Probe?

A scientific mission to unlock the mysteries of the Sun's corona and solar wind

A spacecraft that uses breakthrough technology and autonomy to endure heat and radiation like no other mission

A unique solar observatory that will orbit within 4 million miles of our star's surface to directly study the formation of the solar wind

The first mission named for a living scientist: Dr. Eugene Parker, who theorized the existence of the solar wind

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August 12, 2020

Parker Solar Probe Mission Turns a Terrific Two

July 10, 2020

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe Spies Newly-Discovered Comet NEOWISE

July 10, 2020

Parker Solar Probe Prepares for Third Venus Flyby
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