Yes, NASA has touched the Sun, specifically through its Parker Solar Probe spacecraft.
How NASA "Touched" the Sun
While it's not like a physical touch you might imagine, a NASA spacecraft did make history by flying through the Sun's upper atmosphere.
Here's what happened:
- The Mission: NASA's Parker Solar Probe, a groundbreaking mission designed to study the Sun closer than any spacecraft before, reached a critical milestone.
- Entering the Corona: The probe successfully flew through the Sun's upper atmosphere, known as the corona. This region is essentially the outer boundary of the Sun, made up of superheated plasma and magnetic fields.
- A Historic First: This achievement marked the first time any spacecraft has entered the solar atmosphere. As stated in the reference, "For the first time in history, a spacecraft has touched the Sun".
- Collecting Data: During these passes through the corona, the Parker Solar Probe sampled particles and magnetic fields directly from the Sun's environment, providing unprecedented data about our star.
Why This is Significant
Passing through the Sun's corona is a massive achievement in solar science. It allows scientists to study the Sun's atmosphere and solar wind at their source, providing crucial insights into phenomena like:
- The extreme heat of the corona (much hotter than the surface).
- The origin and acceleration of the solar wind.
- Space weather that can impact Earth.
In essence, while the probe didn't land on the Sun's surface (which is impossible due to the extreme heat), entering the corona is considered "touching" the Sun in scientific terms, as it involves directly interacting with the Sun's atmospheric material.
