On December 24, 2024, NASA's Parker Solar Probe achieved a milestone by becoming the first spacecraft to reach the outer corona of the sun, traveling at a speed of 430,000 miles per hour. This historic encounter confirmed the spacecraft's successful operation following a beacon tone received on December 26.
The mission is significant as it enables the probe to conduct unprecedented scientific measurements, potentially reshaping our understanding of solar phenomena. The probe was named after renowned astrophysicist Eugene Parker, who passed away in 2022, three years after witnessing its launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Parker's groundbreaking theory on solar wind, proposed in 1958, faced skepticism during his career but ultimately gained acceptance following the launch of NASA's Mariner II in 1962, which provided evidence of solar wind.
Throughout his career, Parker received numerous accolades, including the National Medal of Science and the George Ellery Hale Prize. His contributions to heliophysics have left a lasting impact on the field, and his legacy continues through the ongoing work of the Parker Solar Probe.