To travel towards the Sun it is necessary to be very well prepared, if you want to survive the conditions. That did the Parker solar probe of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)which endured a violent eruption of the massive star and also recorded the moment so that we and scientists could enjoy it from a pleasant climate.
The unprecedented event, in which a space probe survives the attacks of the Sun, was recorded on September 5 of this same year. The eruption, Also known as coronal mass ejection (CME), it occurred on the opposite side of the Sun from which the NASA spacecraft was located.
The Parker probe was at that time about 10 million kilometers from the Sun when it passed through the CME. The eruption caused an increase in radiation and heat to which the probe was exposed.
In the audiovisual material shared by NASA, you can see how the radiation particles that are heading towards the Earth pass and that will surely impact our protective layers.
How did he survive?
Withstands solar flare thanks to its protective heat shield. This shield is made of a reinforced carbon-carbon composite material, which is capable of withstanding temperatures of up to 1,400 degrees Celsius. The shield is also painted white to reflect sunlight and help keep it cool.
This thermal protective material for the Parker probe was able to protect it from the radiation of the solar flare. It absorbed the radiation and dissipated it as heat. The Parker probe also moved away from the solar flare as quickly as possible to minimize radiation exposure.
The Parker probe’s survival of the solar flare is a major achievement. This NASA device is the first spacecraft that has flown so close to the Sun.