Draper, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Provide Solar Wind Detector for NASA’s Parker Solar Probe

CAMBRIDGE, MA—NASA’s Parker Solar Probe is on its way for a rendezvous with the Sun. A rocket, carrying the spacecraft, lifted off at 3:31 a.m. EDT, on August 12, from Space Launch Complex 37 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, its engines blazing golden in the clear night sky during ascent. The Parker Solar Probe is humanity’s first-ever mission into a part of the Sun’s atmosphere called the corona. Here it will directly explore solar processes that are key to understanding and forecasting space weather events that can impact life on Earth. The Parker Solar Probe will enter the sun’s corona to understand space weather using a Faraday cup developed by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and detector electronics by Draper.

Released August 16, 2018

NASA's Parker Solar Probe is humanity’s first-ever mission into a part of the Sun’s atmosphere called the corona. (Photo credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls)
The Solar Probe Cup mounted on a spacecraft heat shield.
The Solar Probe Cup is a Faraday Cup that looks directly at the Sun and measures ion and electron fluxes and flow angles as a function of energy. A small strut places SPC at the edge of the spacecraft heat shield. (Photo Credit: Andrew Wang)
Rocket payload fairing with NASA and Parker Solar Probe emblems at Cape Canaveral, Aug. 8, 2018.
The rocket payload fairing is seen with the NASA and Parker Solar Probe emblems, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018 at Launch Complex 37, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. (Photo credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls)
NASA's Parker Solar Probe launches into night sky
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe will enter the sun’s corona to understand space weather using a Faraday cup developed by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and detector electronics by Draper. (Photo credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls)
NASA's Parker Solar Probe is humanity’s first-ever mission into a part of the Sun’s atmosphere called the corona. (Photo credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls)
NASA's Parker Solar Probe is humanity’s first-ever mission into a part of the Sun’s atmosphere called the corona. (Photo credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls)
The Solar Probe Cup is a Faraday Cup that looks directly at the Sun and measures ion and electron fluxes and flow angles as a function of energy. A small strut places SPC at the edge of the spacecraft heat shield. (Photo Credit: Andrew Wang)
The Solar Probe Cup is a Faraday Cup that looks directly at the Sun and measures ion and electron fluxes and flow angles as a function of energy. A small strut places SPC at the edge of the spacecraft heat shield. (Photo Credit: Andrew Wang)
The rocket payload fairing is seen with the NASA and Parker Solar Probe emblems, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018 at Launch Complex 37, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. (Photo credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls)
The rocket payload fairing is seen with the NASA and Parker Solar Probe emblems, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018 at Launch Complex 37, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. (Photo credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls)
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe will enter the sun’s corona to understand space weather using a Faraday cup developed by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and detector electronics by Draper. (Photo credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls)
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe will enter the sun’s corona to understand space weather using a Faraday cup developed by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and detector electronics by Draper. (Photo credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls)