Parker Solar Probe Spacecraft Tile

The Parker Solar Probe is a robotic NASA spacecraft designed to probe the outer corona of the Sun. This astronomical mission was launched on August 12, 2018 aboard a 3 stage Delta IV Heavy rocket with a planned gravity assist from Venus to speed it toward the outer atmosphere of the Sun. It’s 7 year mission of 24 orbits will study the close-in magnetic field and solar wind. The spacecraft is protected by a carbon heat shield which faces the Sun at all times to protect the instruments.