Noureddine Raouafi Leads a Historic Mission to Unlock the Sun’s Secrets with the Parker Solar Probe

Tunisian scientist Noureddine Raouafi, head of NASA’s Parker Solar Probe project, is leading a historic mission to explore the mysteries of the Sun. Since its launch in 2018, the probe has been setting records for its close approaches to the Sun. In its latest maneuver, it reached a distance of only 6.1 million kilometers (3.8 million miles) from the Sun's surface, traveling at an unprecedented speed exceeding 190 kilometers per second (about 700,000 kilometers per hour).

Raouafi described the project as "one of the most significant scientific achievements" aimed at studying solar storms, their effects on Earth, and unraveling the mystery of why the Sun’s outer corona is hotter than its visible surface. He emphasized, "Without the Sun, there would be no life on Earth... We owe our existence to the Sun."

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A Groundbreaking Achievement

On December 24, the Parker Solar Probe achieved its closest approach to the Sun, known as the "solar perihelion," marking the first of a series of planned flybys that will continue until 2025. NASA confirmed the probe is fully operational and ready for upcoming maneuvers designed to answer some of the most profound scientific questions.

Unlocking the Sun's Secrets
By venturing closer to the Sun and observing its physical conditions, the probe seeks to decode the mysteries of the Sun’s magnetic field and analyze its activity cycles. A primary goal of the mission is to resolve the enigma of the Sun’s corona being significantly hotter than its surface, defying traditional heat transfer principles.

Scientific and Historical Significance
The mission has been likened to the importance of the Moon landing, given its role in deepening humanity's understanding of stars and their effects. The probe has already gathered unprecedented data on the solar atmosphere, shedding light on the unique characteristics of the Sun.

Mission Nearing Its End
While the Parker Solar Probe continues to achieve scientific breakthroughs, its mission is expected to conclude by 2025 after four additional maneuvers. Once the mission ends, the probe will partially burn up due to solar radiation, with some components, such as its heat shield and Faraday cup (a device for measuring solar charged particles), remaining in orbit as molten fragments for billions of years.

This groundbreaking mission, led by Tunisian scientist Noureddine Raouafi, marks a transformative moment in space exploration, showcasing the dedication of both Tunisian and global scientists to uncovering the universe's mysteries and achieving unprecedented scientific milestones.

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