NASA Is Going to the Sun! But How...and Why?

In 2018, NASA will launch a solar probe that will travel closer to the sun than any spacecraft before. But why? What are they looking for?


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NASA's Mission to the Sun Gets a New Official Name
"NASA's upcoming sun-studying mission, which will come much closer to Earth's star than any spacecraft in history, has been renamed the Parker Solar Probe, agency officials announced today (May 31). The new moniker honors pioneering University of Chicago astrophysicist Eugene Parker, who predicted the existence of the solar wind - the stream of charged particles flowing constantly from the sun - back in 1958."

Solar Probe Plus: We're Going to Dive Into the Sun
"After 60 years of dreaming of a close-up solar mission, it's quickly approaching time for NASA to realize that goal. Last week, the agency announced that the Solar Probe Plus mission has moved into "advanced development" ahead of a launch in 2018."

NASA: Parker Solar Probe
"Why Parker Solar Probe? We live in the sun's atmosphere! This mission will provide insight on a critical link in the Sun-Earth connection. Data will be key to understanding and, perhaps, forecasting space weather."

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Special thanks to Julian Huguet for hosting and writing this episode of Seeker!