For its efforts to untangle the long-standing mysteries of the complex solar environment — such as activity in the magnetic field embedded in the solar wind, illustrated above — the Parker Solar Probe team has earned the National Space Club and Foundation’s Nelson P. Jackson Award, which recognizes the most outstanding contribution to aerospace in the preceding year.

Latest News | June 11, 2021

Parker Solar Probe Team Earns National Space Club and Foundation Aerospace Award
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Spacecraft Status

Current Mission: Orbit 8

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psp202108_0008.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): 55.88 Distance from Sun Center (AU): 0.342 Distance from Sun's Surface (RS): 72.4 Distance from Earth (AU): 0.877 Round-Trip Light Time (hh:mm:ss): 00:14:35 1 Aug 2021 07:00:00 UTC

Countdown to next milestone

Solar Encounter Start: August 4, 2021, 10:33 UTC

Next countdown: Aug 4, 2021 10:33:13

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

Latest PSP News | All News

June 2, 2021

Parker Solar Probe Ushers in New Science on the Sun and Solar Wind

May 19, 2021

Course Correction Points Parker Solar Probe to Next Venus Flyby

April 29, 2021

Parker Solar Probe Keeps Its Cool as It Speeds Closer to the Sun
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