Parker Solar Probe

[stevej37]

Nasa planning on sending a probe (this weekend)..the size of a small car..to the atmosphere of the sun.
They claim it takes it takes 55 times more energy to go to the sun than to go to Mars.
Very informative video...

[red-beard]

They should have called the probe "Icarus"

[kach22i]

Cool stuff I didn't know.

[Tervuren]

Originally Posted by stevej37

They claim it takes it takes 55 times more energy to go to the sun than to go to Mars.
Very informative video...

The wording on this isn't quite so.

Traveling to the sun would just take enough energy to escape earth and initiate a fall into the sun.

What takes the energy is building the orbit to pass this close and bug out again.

I'm glad to see this probe built and flying. There is much we do not understand with the sun and information gained will let us better question the universe.

[sammyg2]

How much is this stunt costing us and what are the supposed benefits to justify that cost?
Or is it just a bunch of gubmint employees trying to justify their existence .....

[sc_rufctr]

I'm trying to imagine the math and complexity of sending a probe to the Sun.

You must have some smart engineers at NASA!

[Pazuzu]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

How much is this stunt costing us and what are the supposed benefits to justify that cost?
Or is it just a bunch of gubmint employees trying to justify their existence .....

The new, 8 billion dollar American Space Force is covering it, so it's cool. Don't worry about it.


Oh, facts are around 1.5-2 billion, since inception, 9 years ago. So, a fraction of our new Space Force.


Say it again, with feeling...Spaceeeeeee Forceeeeeee!!!!!

[pwd72s]

Are they keeping the probe from burning up by flying there at night?

[sc_rufctr]

The Sun is 149.6 million km from Earth. (92.96 million miles)

"If Earth were the size of a pea, the Sun would be one meter in diameter, 118 meters away. (387.139 feet)"

So we can build a probe that can get itself to the Sun and back again on its own... And all the while sending data back to Earth!

How the **** do that do that?

[ckelly78z]

I see a massive $$$ failure in our Space Force's future. What makes them think they can retain the integrity of the craft, let alone send back useable information while orbiting the orb. I can't imagine the non-stop heat, and interference from being close to the sun.

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

So we can build a probe that can get itself to the Sun and back again on its own... And all the while sending data back to Earth!

I believe it has a one-way ticket.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by stevej37

I believe it has a one-way ticket.

Based on the decaying orbit, I would agree. Cool video, it did a great job of breaking down orbital mechanics into pretty understandable terms.

It amazes me that anyone can take issue with NASA. Considering that they currently represent less than 1% of the federal budget, what they manage to do with the money is incredible. You use innovations from the space program every day. Not to mention the exponential gains in science, aeronautics, and understanding of our own universe and beyond that they have provided our people. Space is really the final frontier, I cannot fathom how anyone cannot see value in exploring and understanding it.

[tevake]

Ground breaking solar scientist Eugene Parker for whom this mission is named was widely denounced about his discoveries about the Suns radiations in the late 50s But now is credited with establishing new levels of understanding about the sun and how it affects our atmosphere and weather.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=i_Jx64BfaYg

[tevake]

Here is a bit more detailed info about this mission.

Parker Solar Probe: The Mission

This launch will be a great one to see in person.
I think this is the first multi engine launch vehicle of this size since the last shuttle launch, very impressive to see / feel in person!

We stand to learn so much from this mission. Learning more about how the conditions on the sun affect our weather and electro magnetic atmosphere.

A few of the things we have gained from our space efforts. GPS, sat weather observation, sat surface observation for both scientific and military use, PV solar panels. These alone are very significant, Im sure there are many others too.

Cheers Richard

[onewhippedpuppy]

Here's a couple of lists:

https://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2008/tech_benefits.html

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/infographics/infographic.view.php?id=11358

Most people don't realize the amount of technology transfer that happens, or that NASA funds a number of grants and programs designed to advance technology. Like current efforts to create technology to enable supersonic aircraft with drastically reduced sonic booms, potentially someday enabling supersonic passenger transport jets. Or the NACA airfoil studies that began in the 1930s that are the basis for most aircraft wings. Or the X-plane programs that broke the sound barrier in the 1950s and are exploring hypersonic technology today. Or the weather satellites and technology that are the basis for most meteorology today. They do a lot more than just space.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Based on the decaying orbit, I would agree. Cool video, it did a great job of breaking down orbital mechanics into pretty understandable terms.

It amazes me that anyone can take issue with NASA. Considering that they currently represent less than 1% of the federal budget, what they manage to do with the money is incredible. You use innovations from the space program every day. Not to mention the exponential gains in science, aeronautics, and understanding of our own universe and beyond that they have provided our people. Space is really the final frontier, I cannot fathom how anyone cannot see value in exploring and understanding it.

I don't get the negativity either, but you have to figure that the same people having issues with NASA's $20.7 billion in 2018, the highest since 2009, have no problem air conditioning tents for the same amount of money.

2018
How the heck did NASA (and science) get such a good 2018 budget?
How the heck did NASA (and science) get such a good 2018 budget? | The Planetary Society

$20.7 billion

2011
U.S. military spends a cool $20 billion on air conditioning annually in Iraq and Afghanistan
U.S. military spends a cool $20billion on air conditioning annually in Iraq and Afghanistan | Daily Mail Online

Burning money: Air conditioning units attached to individual free-standing tents take a gallon of fuel each, which soon goes in the searing 125 degree heat

2011
Air Conditioning The Military Costs More Than NASA’s Entire Budget
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/21/air-conditioning-military-cost-nasa_n_881828.html

Gotta have A/C.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Here's a couple of lists:

https://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2008/tech_benefits.html

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/infographics/infographic.view.php?id=11358

Most people don't realize the amount of technology transfer that happens, or that NASA funds a number of grants and programs designed to advance technology. Like current efforts to create technology to enable supersonic aircraft with drastically reduced sonic booms, potentially someday enabling supersonic passenger transport jets. Or the NACA airfoil studies that began in the 1930s that are the basis for most aircraft wings. Or the X-plane programs that broke the sound barrier in the 1950s and are exploring hypersonic technology today. Or the weather satellites and technology that are the basis for most meteorology today. They do a lot more than just space.

Thanks for the links.


Why Every Dollar Spent on NASA Adds $10 to the Economy
https://www.thebalance.com/nasa-budget-current-funding-and-history-3306321

A report by the Space Foundation estimated that activities related to space contributed $180 billion to the economy in 2005. More than 60 percent of this came from commercial goods and services created by companies related to space technology. The space economy includes commercial space products and services. It also includes commercial infrastructure and support industries. In addition, it includes U.S. government space budgets outside of NASA. Here are eight examples.

Department of Defense
National Reconnaissance Office
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Department of Energy
Federal Aviation Administration
National Science Foundation
Federal Communications Commission
United States Geological Survey

The space economy also counts aerospace budgets in private companies.............................

For all it does, NASA receives just 0.4 percent of the $4.407 trillion FY 2019 federal budget

[onewhippedpuppy]

What many people don't realize is that much of NASA's research represents public information that anyone can use. That can be individual citizens or companies. Which makes it very difficult to accurately quantify their true positive impact to society.

[Gogar]

Lol typical PPOT space thread.

Someone links amazing science experiment,

Sammy replies “bull crap!!!!”

Someone says “what about tang?”

Someone posts list of all things tang

[stevej37]

This explains how they are dealing with the heat...until it melts!