635266kmph! NASA sets new speed record with Parker Solar Probe! Craft turns fastest human-made object
In the depths of space, the Parker Solar Probe, launched by NASA in 2018 to explore the Sun, has achieved a remarkable milestone. Racing around our star at an astonishing speed of 635266kmph, it has become the fastest human-made object in history, surpassing the legendary SR-71 Blackbird by nearly 180 times.
Imagine hurtling through space at such incredible velocity, completing 15 Earth circumnavigations in an hour. This incredible feat occurred during the probe's 17th orbit around the Sun, only three years after setting its previous speed record of 586,863 kph, Business Insider reported.
What makes the Parker Solar Probe's achievement even more remarkable is that it doesn't rely on artificial propulsion. Instead, it follows a precisely planned orbit around the Sun, spiraling inwards due to the Sun's gravitational pull. By 2025, NASA expects it to reach speeds of around 690,000 kph.
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On its 24th and final orbit, the probe will approach close enough to essentially "plunge" into the Sun, providing seven more opportunities to gather invaluable data about our central star. This marks the closest humanity has ever dispatched a spacecraft to the Sun, hovering just 7.26 million kilometers above the Sun's seething ocean of plasma.
The Parker Solar Probe's mission is critical for enhancing our understanding of the Sun's behavior and its impact on our planet. As we unravel the mysteries of the Sun's energy flow, solar winds, magnetism, and more, we gain insights that help us predict and prepare for the Sun's influence on Earth. Following its success in deciphering the enigmatic lightning on Venus, the Parker Solar Probe continues to provide invaluable data as it spirals around the Sun.
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