What instruments and spacecraft design have made the Parker Solar Probe mission possible?
1 answer
The Parker Solar Probe mission has been made possible by a combination of instruments and spacecraft design. The spacecraft is equipped with four instrument suites: the Solar Wind Electrons Alphas and Protons (SWEAP) suite, the Wide-field Imager for Solar Probe (WISPR) suite, the Solar Probe Cup (SPC) instrument, and the Integrated Science Investigation of the Sun (IS☉IS) suite. The spacecraft is designed to withstand the extreme temperatures and radiation of the Sun's corona, and is equipped with a 4.5-inch-thick carbon-composite shield to protect the instruments and spacecraft from the extreme heat. Additionally, the spacecraft is equipped with a powerful propulsion system to enable it to reach the necessary speeds to make the mission possible.