NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has once again shattered the record for the fastest human-made object ever. On June 29, the probe reached a speed of 635,266 km/h, approximately 500 times the speed of sound, since its launch in 2018.
Parker Solar Probe: The Fastest Vehicle on Earth
Engineered by NASA, the Parker Solar Probe is expected to reach speeds of about 692,000 km/h during its closest approach to the Sun in 2025. This staggering velocity is sufficient to travel from Washington DC to Tokyo in less than a minute.
Gravity Assist for Acceleration
The probe achieves these incredible speeds by aligning with Venus’s orbit and utilizing the gravitational force of the moving planet to create a slingshot effect. Essentially, the faster Parker Solar Probe goes, the more it leverages planetary gravity to accelerate.
Close Solar Passes and Mission Timeline
To date, the Parker has completed its twentieth close pass to the Sun, coming within 7.26 million kilometers of the Sun’s surface, considered the ionized gas outer layer. The mission is expected to come as close as 6.12 million kilometers before completion.
The title of the fastest human-made object is unlikely to be stripped from the Parker Solar Probe anytime soon. If the record is to be broken, it will likely be by another spacecraft using a similar method of gravitational assist.
What are your thoughts on this subject? Don’t forget to share your views in the comments section below.
