In 2015, NASA hopes to launch Solar Probe+ or Solar Probe Plus, a heat-resistant spacecraft that will enter the Sun's atmosphere and sample the star's magnetic fields and study the solar wind.
Expected Achievements
The Solar Probe+ craft is an updated version of the Solar Probe spacecraft designed by Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in 2005. NASA expects that the craft will approach within seven million kilometers of the surface of the star, close enough for it to enter the sun's corona. During its seven-year mission, Solar Probe+ will be able to experience several different stages of the solar cycle, and most likely, several different solar storms.NASA: NASA Plans to Visit the Sun (June 10, 2008)
NASA Sun Visit Blogs and Commentaries
- Google Blog Search: NASA Sun Visit
Why has NASA avoided the race for putting a man on Mars?(1 Answer)
A:
NASA scientists had a vested interest in proving the theories of evolution but their trip to the moon did exactly the opposite. If the earth and moon were ...
How hot is the sun?(3 Answers)
A:
Temperature of surface (effective) = 5,778 Kelvin Temperature of corona = ~5 × 10^6 K (5,000,000 Kelvin) Temperature of core = ~15.7 × 10^6 K (15,700 ...
Will NASA visit the Moon in the next decade?(2 Answers)
A:
Yes, they're planning for their next trip to be by 2018. This time, they plan to build outposts and start working towards being able to send people ...
References
Fast Facts
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Name of spacecraft
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Planned launch
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Length of mission
Seven years
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Manufacturer
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Fact:
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Closest approach
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Expected temperatures
