Solar Probe Plus

PaulR said:
The thing that amazed me is that it takes more energy to force a probe towards the sun than it does to send probe into the outer reaches of the solar system. Celestial mechanics, eh!
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Solar wind, it has a big effect on satellites and space craft.
 
Not just that. It's necessary to decelerate the craft from orbiting the sun so that it can spiral inwards and it's this that needs loads of power.

For both outward and inward trajectories the amount of fuel needed can be reduced with a gravity assist given by a close encounter with a planet or moon. The Solar Probe is using quite a few of these.
 
Also the orbits have to be done just right or the Sun will suck it up like a fleck of dust in a Hoover.

I let my computer do the orbits when close in to any Sun, it's too hard to think about vectors when your half way to the dark side.
 
Launch is now on hold T minus 4 minutes,
NASA tv HD @ 7 east 11053 H 4937 id=ZZGVA1 Enc2
NASA tv HD @ 13 east 11373 H 27500DSCN2852[1].webp
 
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T minus 2 & counting now T minus 1m 55 holding.
Now back to T minus 4 & holding,

The launched has now been scrubbed as they have run out of time with the launch window,
Another attempt to launch Solar Probe Plus will be made in 24 hours.
 
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Why do they say "scrubbed"? That implies a degree of permanence to me. Surely it's been postponed!
 
PaulR said:
Why do they say "scrubbed"? That implies a degree of permanence to me. Surely it's been postponed!
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A degree of permanence is certainly oxymoronic.

Scrubbed - informal
to cancel or abandon (something).

"the first two races had to be scrubbed because of blustery winds and rough seas"
 
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Intermittent loss of telemetry now the craft has separated from the third stage. Was looking good up to now.
 
I still say that they should have gone at night.
 
Something I've been musing over for a week or two (Parker probe completed the first Venus flyby at the beginning of the month btw - no fanfare)

What are the time differences experienced by the craft when it is travelling at its fastest velocity, just short of 200kms/s, almost the same as the solar system orbiting our galaxy ?

I'm not actually sure if there are instruments dealing with the potential slowdown of the probes instruments as it moves closer to the sun over the next few years.

Then I saw this and put my thinking cap on

Parker Solar Probe passing extremely close to the Sun; what relativistic effects will it experience and how large will they be?
 
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