The Parker Solar Probe is set to make history on December 24 by flying within 3.8 million miles of the sun, the closest any spacecraft has ever gone.
This close approach is only possible because of the mission's orbital design; the spacecraft had to shed a lot of orbital energy to get this close to the sun.
We’re actually in the sun's upper atmosphere. We're actually touching the sun with humanity's first mission to a star, said Joe Westlake.
The probe anticipates experiencing temperatures of 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit, but its protective heat shield can withstand over 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit.
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