NASA in 2018, will be sent into space probe to “touch” the Sun
WASHINGTON, may 26 — RIA Novosti. NASA plans in the summer of 2018 to launch the space research probe, which will approach the Sun at a record close distance, announced the Agency on Friday.
“The launch of the mission Solar Probe Plus (SPP) is scheduled for summer 2018,” reports NASA. Previously reported that the start of the probe planned for the period between 31 July and 19 August on the launch vehicle Delta IV-Heavy.
The apparatus will reach a distance of 3.9 million miles (6.2 million kilometers) above the surface of the Sun, approached the star closer than mercury. According to NASA, the first “touch” the Sun, as it will be seven times closer to it than the other ever going to the star man probe.
The Department reported that SPP “will explore the outer atmosphere of a star and to lead the very important observations that will answer the existing decades questions about her physical characteristics.”
NASA hopes that the research results “will improve the forecasts on how the major phenomena in space weather affect the Earth, satellites and (work) astronauts in space.” The main mission of the probe is designed for 11 days, its details will be made public next week.