The one and only controller of the Solar system always fascinate scientists and space enthusiasts. The Sun often emits flares of charged particles that affects power grids, aircraft and satellite systems. It also damages planetary surfaces with its radiation. NASA is planning to conduct a Solar mission in 2018 to understand the reason behind the emission high-energy particles that can help scientists predict space weather.
With the collaboration of Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) and Draper, NASA is developing advanced and more sophisticated sensor of Solar Probe Plus(SPP) for their upcoming mission. SPP is now under construction at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. CFA reported that SPP would make 24 flybys around the Sun over nearly seven years.
It is capable of traveling 37.6 million kilometers closer to the sun and it is designed to withstand to 2500 degrees Fahrenheit. If everything goes according to the plan then it would be the first spacecraft to travel such distance towards the Sun. During the mission, SPP would glide into the sun's upper atmosphere and touch the surface. The main purpose of the mission to scan Solar mechanism and send Information to NASA.
According to Phys, SPP’s on board Faraday cup will capture the velocity and direction of the positively-charged particles of Sun. Faraday cup is engineered to measure the full force of supersonic solar particles and radiation because it is the only instrument that will be assembled at the outside of the probe. Even at the speed of 200 km/sec, it will do its job perfectly.
Director of the Space Systems Program Office at Draper Dr. Seamus Tuohy said,“For years astronomers have studied the sun but, never from inside the sun's atmosphere. Such a mission would require a spacecraft and instrumentation capable of withstanding extremes of radiation”. Modern day civilization is totally dependent on Gps, telecommunications, power grids and satellites. Solar storm directly effects on this system. Solar Probe Plus will help to predict future solar storm events so that scientists and engineers get enough scope to protect those systems.
