Touching the Sun with the Parker Solar Probe

In December 2021, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe flew through the Sun’s upper atmosphere – the corona – sampling particles and magnetic fields there. The probe’s mission was to study the origin and evolution of solar wind and contribute to our understanding of space weather.

On the closest of its 24 flybys, the Parker came within 3.8 million miles of the Sun, closer than any previous spacecraft. And it achieved a top speed of close to 430,000 mph on its mission, making it the fastest human-made object in history.

To survive the Sun’s harsh environment, the probe utilized several advancements in aerospace technology. The Thermal Protection System, or heat shield, enabled the satellite’s electronics and instruments to withstand temperatures approaching 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit. The Parker was powered by actively cooled solar arrays that protected them from overexposure to intense solar energy. And a fully autonomous system was used to manage the spacecraft’s flight behavior, orientation, and configuration through most of the mission.

One of the most critical sensors in the Parker’s scientific payload was a scoop that collects samples of the solar atmosphere during each pass by the Sun. The sensors needed to withstand the extreme thermal gradients and mechanical stresses presented by the mission. The processors also had to operate at extreme speeds to record changes in the solar wind while the spacecraft was moving at 430,000 mph. Finally, the electronics had to meet demanding size, weight and power (SWAP) requirements to be tucked into the sensor’s shadow and avoid being incinerated in flight. 

Draper designed and manufactured the signal processing circuit boards for the sensor, miniaturizing the circuits and lowering power consumption while significantly boosting both the sensitivity and speed of the sensor. Draper also developed a complex combined thermal and mechanical model of the sensor that was critical to understanding the stresses experienced by the sensor as the probe plunged through each encounter with the Sun.

“The challenges faced by this sensor were unlike anything I’ve previously encountered,” said Justin C. Kasper, Ph.D., Chief of Technology at BWX Technologies, Inc., and principal investigator for the science payload on the Parker Solar Probe that measures the solar atmosphere. “Draper was a natural partner for solving these technical challenges, given the organization’s experience developing high performance miniaturized electronics that can operate in harsh environments.” 

The Parker Solar Probe was awarded the 2024 Robert J. Collier Trophy by the National Aeronautic Association (NAA). The award recognized the innovative team of engineers and scientists from NASA, the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), and more than 40 other partner organizations, including Draper.

The Robert J. Collier Trophy recognizes the most exceptional achievement in aeronautics and astronautics in America with respect to improving the performance, efficiency, and safety of air or space vehicles in the previous year. First awarded in 1911, the Robert J. Collier Trophy winner is selected by a group of aviation leaders chosen by the NAA. The Collier Trophy is housed in the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington.