Artist’s impression of Parker Solar Probe approaching the Alfvén critical surface, which marks the end of the solar atmosphere and the beginning of the solar wind. Parker Solar Probe’s crossing into this zone in April 2021 means the spacecraft has “touched the Sun” for the first time.

Latest News | December 14, 2021

Parker Solar Probe Touches the Sun for the First Time, Bringing New Discoveries
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Spacecraft Status

Current Mission: Orbit 10

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psp202201_0578.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): 19.45 Distance from Sun Center (AU): 0.700 Distance from Sun's Surface (RS): 149.4 Distance from Earth (AU): 1.624 Round-Trip Light Time (hh:mm:ss): 00:27:01 25 Jan 2022 01:00:00 UTC

Countdown to next milestone

Solar Encounter Start: February 20, 2022, 11:30 UTC

Next countdown: Feb 20, 2022 11:30:09

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

November 22, 2021

Parker Solar Probe Completes a Record-Setting Swing by the Sun

November 10, 2021

Space Dust Presents Opportunities, Challenges as Parker Solar Probe Speeds Back to the Sun

October 18, 2021

Parker Solar Probe Completes Its Fifth Venus Flyby
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