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♪ ♪
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Downloaded from
YTS.MX
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NARRATOR:
Ninety million miles from Earth,
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faster than anything ever made,
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Official YIFY movies site:
YTS.MX
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a spacecraft plunges into our sun.
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This tiny craft,no bigger than a car,
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faces a star
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a million timesthe size of our planet.
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Once deemed mission impossible,
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the probe needs astonishingnew technology to survive.
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Its mission, to solve the mysteries
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of our awesome star.
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DR. NICHOLEEN VIALL: It's the first time
we've ever gone this close to the sun.
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It's been an engineering feat toactually get there and not melt.
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NARRATOR:
New data will help warn of the dangers
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of electromagneticexplosions from the sun.
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DR. ERIC CHRISTIAN:
Solar storms can cause blackouts
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over large parts of the world.
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(sparking, fizzling)
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NARRATOR:
Nothing from Earth has ever been
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this close to our star before.
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DR. NICKY FOX:
It is uncharted territory,
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and Parker Solar Probe is
blazing her way through there.
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♪ ♪
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NARRATOR:
It's a mission 60 years in the planning.
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Now, finally,we are touching the sun.
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(waves lapping)
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(birds chirping)
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-(beeping)
-(fishing reel clicking)
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Cape Canaveral, Florida.
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♪ ♪
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NASA are going whereno mission has gone before.
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They're heading to the sun.
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(whirring)
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FOX: The rocket has beenat the launch pad awaiting
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the arrival of Parker Solar Probe.
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She's buttoned up,looking beautiful, ready to go.
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NARRATOR:
In charge of the science for
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the 1.5 billion-dollar mission
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is project scientist Nicky Fox.
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FOX: The mission is inspiring.
It is a voyage of discovery.
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We're going to the last
region of the solar system
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really to be explored by a spacecraft.
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(birds chirping)
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It's like discovering a new continent.
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(explosion)
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♪ ♪
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We've sent spacecraft
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to all of the major regionsof our solar system.
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NEIL ARMSTRONG (on radio):
That's one small step for man,
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one giant leap for mankind.
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(soil crunching)
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FOX:
But we've never gone into
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the center of the solar system.
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(rumbling)
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It is uncharted territory.
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(rumbling, swirling)
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So there is a lot of pressure
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to be perfect for that
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five, four, three, two, one,
liftoff moment.
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NARRATOR: The Delta IV Heavy,America's largest rocket,
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launches 50,000-pound spy satellites
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into orbit around the Earth.
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The tiny Parker Solar Probeweighs a mere 1,500 pounds.
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But it needs the mightof this powerful launch
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to gain the speed necessary
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to travel the 90 millionmiles to its target...
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our sun.
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♪ ♪
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The sun sustains all life on Earth.
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The whole solar system createdby its massive presence.
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(rumbling, bursting)
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You could line up 109 Earthsacross the face of the sun,
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and pack a millionand more Earths inside it.
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So large, it would take a jet plane
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nearly six months tocircumnavigate the sun.
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(rumbling)
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At its heart, a giantnuclear fusion reactor,
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crushing atoms together
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and generating27 million degree temperatures.
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(crackling)
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Around that, a vast ballof super-heated plasma,
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an electrically charged cloudcreated when atoms are torn apart
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by heat and pressurebeyond our understanding.
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This awesome power of the sunconstantly changes, which is why
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it's studied 24/7 here at
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NASA's Goddard SpaceWeather Research Center.
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(rumbling)
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Real images of the sun, like these,
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are filmed by NASA's solar observatories
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in orbit around the Earth.
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♪ ♪
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(crackling, rumbling)
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DR. ALEX YOUNG: When you step outside
of the atmosphere with a camera in space,
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we find the sun is somuch more interesting.
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(explosion)
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It's this explosive environment
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that is seething with energy,
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magnetic and electric fieldsare moving around.
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It's ever changing.
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This is what's so amazing,
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is to see how incredibly
dynamic the sun is.
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NARRATOR: Dynamic and rackedwith gigantic explosions,
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hurling radiation and particlestowards the Earth.
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(explosion)
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YOUNG:
You see lots of little flashes.
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These little things are many times
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the size of the United States,
for example.
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They're huge and there are massiveamounts of energy being released.
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-It's mind boggling.
-(thundering)
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All that dynamic energy
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can occasionally throw out
these huge solar storms,
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these blasts of materialthat can slam into the Earth.
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They shake the Earth's magnetic field.
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So, this is one ofthe reasons why we focus
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so much on what's happening on the sun.
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♪ ♪
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NARRATOR:
On Earth, we're blissfully unaware
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of these massive explosions
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many millions of miles away in space.
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-(waves washing ashore)
-(birds cawing)
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Few people alive today have ever felt
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the impact of a major eruption on the sun.
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But 159 years ago,
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the biggest sun explosionwe have ever known
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causes chaos on Earth.
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(door opening)
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♪ ♪
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September the 1st, 1859.
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English astronomer Richard Carrington
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draws images of sun spots
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projected througha telescope at his home
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in the English village of Redhill.
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DR. JUSTIN KASPER:
All around the world back then,
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people were watchingthe surface of the sun.
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And every day,
Carrington would sit down
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in his observatory, which was
a telescope he had in his house,
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and he would look at the sunand project the sun down
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and he'd make a sketchof this active region.
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By cosmic coincidence,
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as he was sitting there
making a sketch one day,
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one of the largest
solar flares on record occurred.
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(thundering)
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Carrington was actually able to see
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bright pricks of light appear
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on his sketch pad because the flare
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was so intense in visible light,
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it actually caused bright pointsto appear on the solar surface.
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NARRATOR:
Carrington's drawing
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records the largest flare ever known
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from that day to this.
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It's the first indication for scientiststhat storms on the sun can devastate
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our technology on Earth.
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KASPER:
What's amazing is then what follows.
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About 18 hours later,
all hell breaks loose on Earth.
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(birds chirping)
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Telegraph lines startsparking and catching on fire,
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compasses start wiggling around.
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VIALL:
It was enormous. It was so big,
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it made what we call a geomagnetic storm,
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which is one of these stormswhere it deforms Earth's magnetic field
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and puts all of this energyinto the radiation belt.
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KASPER:
The aurora borealis, the northern lights,
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are seen all the way down to Cuba.
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VIALL: Places of the world where people
had never seen aurora before.
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Places like Australia, Great Britain,
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and even Floridacould have seen the aurora.
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♪ ♪
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NARRATOR:
The geomagnetic storm that spreads chaos
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across the globe is nowknown by scientists
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as the Carrington event.
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In 1859,
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the newly invented telegraph machine
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is the only method oflong-distance communication.
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Electromagnetic particles bombarding Earthfrom the huge solar flare
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have serious consequences,wrecking communications.
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(sparking, zapping)
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FOX: So in 1859, the loss of
the telegraph system for four days,
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that doesn't seem that significant
when we think about that today.
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But, if you imagine the loss of
all electronic communication,
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all power gridsfor days, weeks, months,
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it is a huge,
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huge impact on life and society.
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♪ ♪
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KASPER: Some estimates say that if itwere to happen today and we didn't have
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enough advance warning to
power down our power grids,
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you could lose all
the transformers on the east
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and west coasts of the United States.
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It could take years,maybe even decades,
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to restore power to the coasts.
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FOX:
Imagine losing the internet now.
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National panic would ensue.
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KASPER:
You lose GPS potentially.
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A lot of us depend on GPSfor things like logistics.
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Most major cities in the world
only have enough food
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for about 12 hours,
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so if you don't have
a logistics network operating,
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you can't supply all
the people in the city.
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When a hurricane strikes,or if there's an earthquake,
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what do we do?People leave the city,
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they take refuge in another city nearby.
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You don't necessarily have that option
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if we have a Earth-level
Carrington event.
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If you lose the entire seaboard,
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and there's nowhere to go to recover.
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♪ ♪
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NARRATOR: No one knows when aCarrington-level event will happen again.
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(distorted):
It could happen right now...
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(siren)
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(static)
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VIALL: So imagine now if we had
one of those major events.
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It would be pretty bad, so we need
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to mitigate the effects of this.
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(birds cawing)
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NARRATOR:
Mitigating the effects requires
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earlier warnings of solar bombardments.
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And for that, we need scientific data
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we can only get by going to the sun,
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so that's what we're doing.
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(rumbling)
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MAN:
10, nine, eight,
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seven, six, five
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-four, three, two, one.
-(rumbling)
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(roaring)
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(indistinct chatter)
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NARRATOR:
August 12th, 2018.
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♪ ♪
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In the early hours of the morning,
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Parker Solar Probe is ready for liftoff.
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FOX:
There's a tremendous amount of excitement
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in the team waiting for this launch.
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We are so connected with this spacecraft.
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We've watched her grow up
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in front of us for many years.
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To us, she's a person,
she's a part of the team.
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She is the one that's going on the voyage
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and going to make these
amazing discoveries.
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MAN 1 (on radio): Status checkto pursue with terminal count.
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-First stage systems. Propulsion.
-MAN 2 (on radio): Go.
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-MAN 1: Hydraulics.
-MAN 3 (on radio): Go.
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-MAN 1: Vox.
-MAN 4 (on radio): Go.
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MAN 1:
LH2...
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CHRISTIAN:
Launch is, probably,
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the most dangerous part of the mission.
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You're sitting on top
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of a tremendous set
of tanks of explosives.
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It's a controlled explosion.
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If you lose control in the slightest way,
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that's it. It's all over.
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MAN (on radio):
Nine, eight, seven
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-six, five...
-(rumbling)
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four, three, two,
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one, zero.
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Liftoff ofthe mighty Delta IV Heavy Rocket
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with NASA's Parker Solar Probe.
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A daring mission to shedlight on the mysteries
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of our closest star, the sun.
259
00:12:37,289 --> 00:12:39,592
♪ ♪
260
00:12:39,658 --> 00:12:41,727
FOX:
It was just like she was ready to go,
261
00:12:41,794 --> 00:12:43,929
and so I think,
for the first time in months,
262
00:12:43,996 --> 00:12:45,765
I was actually speechless
263
00:12:45,831 --> 00:12:48,701
watching that beautiful sight
of her lighting up the sky.
264
00:12:48,768 --> 00:12:51,337
MAN (on radio):
Tower clear.
265
00:12:51,403 --> 00:12:52,872
Now 10 seconds into flight.
266
00:12:52,938 --> 00:12:55,307
(roaring)
267
00:12:55,374 --> 00:12:58,511
KASPER: Even though we're a few
miles away from the rocket,
268
00:12:58,577 --> 00:13:01,480
the noise from the launch is so intense,
269
00:13:01,547 --> 00:13:03,716
you can feel it rattling in your chest.
270
00:13:04,416 --> 00:13:06,886
-(beeping)
-(roaring)
271
00:13:08,554 --> 00:13:12,491
FOX: Those two side boostersare going at full throttle.
272
00:13:12,558 --> 00:13:14,326
As they start to burn out,
273
00:13:14,393 --> 00:13:16,495
they drop away, and the center one
274
00:13:16,562 --> 00:13:19,799
takes over as the main lift body.
275
00:13:19,865 --> 00:13:22,368
(rumbling)
276
00:13:24,436 --> 00:13:27,573
NARRATOR:
Ninety-two miles high above the Caribbean,
277
00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:29,675
the nose cone splits apart.
278
00:13:32,545 --> 00:13:34,947
Scores of scientists and engineers
279
00:13:35,014 --> 00:13:37,349
in four different mission control rooms
280
00:13:37,416 --> 00:13:39,451
around the country follow every second
281
00:13:39,518 --> 00:13:42,121
of the Parker Probe's progress.
282
00:13:42,922 --> 00:13:44,957
And 30 minutes later...
283
00:13:46,392 --> 00:13:48,360
the second stage separates.
284
00:13:50,996 --> 00:13:54,700
The Parker Probe isfinally leaving the Earth.
285
00:13:56,335 --> 00:13:59,338
♪ ♪
286
00:14:01,774 --> 00:14:04,443
FOX: There are so many
different feelings kind of
287
00:14:04,510 --> 00:14:07,112
jumbled up in my head at the same time.
288
00:14:07,179 --> 00:14:10,316
The pride, the sheer spectacle,
289
00:14:10,382 --> 00:14:13,252
but also separation anxiety.
290
00:14:15,254 --> 00:14:18,591
That's my baby and she's left the planet.
291
00:14:18,657 --> 00:14:22,161
I hope she writes every day and tells us
all the wonderful data she's taking.
292
00:14:28,801 --> 00:14:32,605
NARRATOR: The Parker Probe'sfull mission will last seven years.
293
00:14:32,671 --> 00:14:35,374
One of the most complexnavigational challenges
294
00:14:35,441 --> 00:14:37,943
ever undertaken in space.
295
00:14:38,911 --> 00:14:40,279
Twenty-four orbits,
296
00:14:40,346 --> 00:14:43,415
each one takingthe probe closer and closer
297
00:14:43,482 --> 00:14:46,185
to the corona of our star.
298
00:14:46,252 --> 00:14:49,555
But this mapped-out routehas a crucial first step.
299
00:14:49,622 --> 00:14:51,991
A flyby of Venus,
300
00:14:52,057 --> 00:14:55,227
using the planet's gravityfor a handbrake turn
301
00:14:55,294 --> 00:14:58,831
to aim Parker in towards the sun.
302
00:15:00,266 --> 00:15:02,001
There's little room for error.
303
00:15:02,067 --> 00:15:07,773
To aim at Venus, the probe mustfire its last engine precisely on time.
304
00:15:09,408 --> 00:15:11,677
CHRISTIAN:
That's when we get most of the speed.
305
00:15:11,744 --> 00:15:14,980
And if we miss Venus,
it'll destroy the entire mission.
306
00:15:15,047 --> 00:15:16,548
We won't get the orbit that we want.
307
00:15:16,615 --> 00:15:19,418
♪ ♪
308
00:15:19,919 --> 00:15:21,954
Except Venus is a moving target.
309
00:15:25,324 --> 00:15:28,127
And so, we can't aim it where Venus is.
310
00:15:28,193 --> 00:15:32,231
We have to aim it where Venus is gonna be
in weeks when we finally get there.
311
00:15:35,401 --> 00:15:37,236
So, it's sort of like a sniper.
312
00:15:42,408 --> 00:15:44,276
If you had a sniper aiming at a target
313
00:15:44,343 --> 00:15:47,579
that was 1,000 yards away,he'd have to aim
314
00:15:47,646 --> 00:15:49,949
very precisely to hit that target.
315
00:15:51,550 --> 00:15:52,551
(gunshot)
316
00:15:52,618 --> 00:15:53,452
(bullet thuds)
317
00:15:54,420 --> 00:15:55,421
(click)
318
00:15:55,487 --> 00:15:57,890
NARRATOR:
But Venus is a moving target,
319
00:15:57,957 --> 00:16:00,526
and that comes withits own set of problems.
320
00:16:00,592 --> 00:16:03,062
(birds chirping)
321
00:16:03,595 --> 00:16:06,498
CHRISTIAN: A bullet travelsat about 2,000 feet per second.
322
00:16:06,966 --> 00:16:07,967
-(gunshot)
-(air rushing)
323
00:16:09,802 --> 00:16:13,839
So, it takes almost two secondsto travel that 1,000 yards.
324
00:16:15,441 --> 00:16:16,909
NARRATOR:
The sniper would need to aim
325
00:16:16,976 --> 00:16:19,678
at the exact pointwhere the target will be
326
00:16:19,745 --> 00:16:21,880
two seconds into the future.
327
00:16:21,947 --> 00:16:24,049
Even for a mere 1,000 yards,
328
00:16:24,116 --> 00:16:27,486
the calculations need to be precise.
329
00:16:27,553 --> 00:16:31,190
♪ ♪
330
00:16:35,627 --> 00:16:37,329
-(gunshot)
-(air rushing)
331
00:16:41,133 --> 00:16:46,705
Over 32 million milesand at 50 times the speed of a bullet,
332
00:16:46,772 --> 00:16:50,876
the team at NASA have an evenmore difficult task on their hands.
333
00:16:50,943 --> 00:16:53,045
(roaring)
334
00:16:56,348 --> 00:16:58,183
To aim in the right direction,
335
00:16:58,250 --> 00:17:00,152
the probe has one last engine
336
00:17:00,219 --> 00:17:02,521
on the third stage of the rocket,
337
00:17:02,588 --> 00:17:05,257
and it should be firing right now.
338
00:17:05,324 --> 00:17:07,793
CHRISTIAN:
The third stage is a solid rocket motor
339
00:17:07,860 --> 00:17:09,995
that fires once and then it's done.
340
00:17:10,062 --> 00:17:13,265
And so we've gotta get it right.
We've only got one opportunity.
341
00:17:17,036 --> 00:17:20,139
NARRATOR: Mission Controlfollows every moment of the flight
342
00:17:20,205 --> 00:17:22,808
by receiving radiosignals from the probe,
343
00:17:22,875 --> 00:17:24,877
called telemetry signals.
344
00:17:26,645 --> 00:17:28,914
But now, there's a problem.
345
00:17:29,448 --> 00:17:32,184
MAN (on radio): Seeing some telemetrydropouts from the third stage.
346
00:17:32,785 --> 00:17:36,255
Should've expected to see spacecraftseparation within the last minute.
347
00:17:36,321 --> 00:17:38,357
NARRATOR:
Telemetry from the spacecraft,
348
00:17:38,424 --> 00:17:40,426
its only means of communicating
349
00:17:40,492 --> 00:17:42,661
with Mission Control, has failed.
350
00:17:43,295 --> 00:17:46,298
There's nothing they can do, but wait.
351
00:17:49,601 --> 00:17:50,803
♪ ♪
352
00:17:50,869 --> 00:17:54,339
NARRATOR: No one is sureif NASA's Parker Solar Probe
353
00:17:54,406 --> 00:17:56,308
is in trouble or not
354
00:17:56,375 --> 00:17:59,711
because it's no longertalking to Mission Control.
355
00:18:00,345 --> 00:18:03,882
MAN (on radio): Seeing sometelemetry dropouts from the third stage.
356
00:18:04,283 --> 00:18:05,884
NARRATOR:
Telemetry, the readings
357
00:18:05,951 --> 00:18:07,853
its instruments shouldbe transmitting to Earth,
358
00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:10,222
are failing to reach Mission Control.
359
00:18:10,689 --> 00:18:13,492
Frustration for scientists and engineers
360
00:18:13,559 --> 00:18:17,329
desperate to confirmthat the final rocket burn has happened.
361
00:18:18,464 --> 00:18:20,132
MAN (on radio):
Should've expected to see spacecraft
362
00:18:20,199 --> 00:18:22,935
separation within the last minute.Difficult to make calls.
363
00:18:24,937 --> 00:18:27,005
NARRATOR:
All those on the ground can see
364
00:18:27,072 --> 00:18:29,675
is a NASA live television feed,
365
00:18:29,741 --> 00:18:33,245
a pre-prepared animation of whatshould be happening in space.
366
00:18:36,415 --> 00:18:39,585
And with no confirmation,this NASA picture
367
00:18:39,651 --> 00:18:42,154
could be just an expensive cartoon.
368
00:18:42,221 --> 00:18:43,956
♪ ♪
369
00:18:44,022 --> 00:18:47,926
And if something's wrong,there's no way of fixing it.
370
00:18:48,894 --> 00:18:50,963
VIALL:
This is not the Hubble space telescope.
371
00:18:51,029 --> 00:18:53,765
Whatever happens after launch, that's it.
372
00:18:59,671 --> 00:19:03,509
NARRATOR: If it's a serious error,the mission will fail.
373
00:19:03,575 --> 00:19:05,210
But moments later...
374
00:19:05,277 --> 00:19:07,446
MAN (on radio): And we've beeninformed that the third stage
375
00:19:07,513 --> 00:19:10,482
is providing data to a ground station.
376
00:19:11,783 --> 00:19:14,419
NARRATOR:
Telemetry is reacquired.
377
00:19:14,486 --> 00:19:17,589
The Parker Probe'ssignal is being picked up
378
00:19:17,656 --> 00:19:19,324
by a receiving station,
379
00:19:19,391 --> 00:19:22,361
confirming that last, final burn.
380
00:19:22,427 --> 00:19:25,764
MAN (on radio): We have hadconfirmation of spacecraft separation.
381
00:19:25,831 --> 00:19:28,734
(applause)
382
00:19:29,168 --> 00:19:31,937
NARRATOR:
With the final engine separated,
383
00:19:32,004 --> 00:19:36,375
Parker Probe is now safelyon route to Venus.
384
00:19:38,977 --> 00:19:42,347
♪ ♪
385
00:19:48,520 --> 00:19:50,522
(whooshing by)
386
00:19:52,457 --> 00:19:55,427
This voyage to the sunwas top of the wish list
387
00:19:55,494 --> 00:19:58,063
of space explorationdrawn up when NASA
388
00:19:58,130 --> 00:20:00,465
was created in the 1950s.
389
00:20:00,532 --> 00:20:03,502
MAN (over radio):
T-minus 10, nine...
390
00:20:03,569 --> 00:20:05,971
NARRATOR:
Other missions to Mars, Saturn,
391
00:20:06,038 --> 00:20:08,407
even Pluto have been successful.
392
00:20:08,473 --> 00:20:11,710
Only the sun remains so unexplored.
393
00:20:11,777 --> 00:20:13,545
Their final frontier.
394
00:20:13,612 --> 00:20:15,614
(roaring)
395
00:20:16,448 --> 00:20:20,886
The vital importance of visiting the sunis highlighted back then
396
00:20:20,953 --> 00:20:24,389
by a young scientist, Dr. Eugene Parker.
397
00:20:24,456 --> 00:20:26,959
He discovers the solar wind,
398
00:20:27,025 --> 00:20:30,562
streams of electricallycharged nuclear particles
399
00:20:30,629 --> 00:20:33,932
blasting out fromthe sun in all directions.
400
00:20:35,067 --> 00:20:40,038
Parker's mathematical theory showsthat the wind envelops the Earth,
401
00:20:40,105 --> 00:20:45,944
a potentially fatal danger to astronautsoutside of our planet's protective shield.
402
00:20:46,011 --> 00:20:48,013
(radio chatter, static)
403
00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:49,581
NARRATOR:
Back in the '50s,
404
00:20:49,648 --> 00:20:52,618
Parker's ideas are so revolutionary,
405
00:20:52,684 --> 00:20:54,152
many disbelieve him.
406
00:20:54,219 --> 00:20:57,122
DR. EUGENE PARKER:
I remember how upset some people were.
407
00:20:57,189 --> 00:20:59,992
They insisted I made
a mathematical error,
408
00:21:00,058 --> 00:21:02,194
and I would reply, well, here you are.
409
00:21:02,261 --> 00:21:04,596
Here is five lines of algebra.
410
00:21:04,663 --> 00:21:07,399
You say I made a mistake? Show me.
411
00:21:07,466 --> 00:21:10,469
♪ ♪
412
00:21:11,270 --> 00:21:13,105
NARRATOR:
The danger Parker discovered
413
00:21:13,171 --> 00:21:15,741
grows even greaterwhen solar flares,
414
00:21:15,807 --> 00:21:20,379
or other eruptions,pump up the blast of deadly radiation.
415
00:21:21,713 --> 00:21:25,417
Astronauts landing onthe moon were at risk,
416
00:21:25,484 --> 00:21:27,853
but they wereexposed for just a few days.
417
00:21:27,919 --> 00:21:29,521
NEIL ARMSTRONG:
The surface appears to be...
418
00:21:31,156 --> 00:21:34,059
NARRATOR:
Now manned missions to Mars
419
00:21:34,126 --> 00:21:35,994
are high on NASA's agenda.
420
00:21:36,061 --> 00:21:40,098
Even inside their spaceships,future Mars mariners
421
00:21:40,165 --> 00:21:42,801
run the risk of radiation poisoning.
422
00:21:45,337 --> 00:21:47,205
MAN (on radio):
Minus 15.
423
00:21:48,407 --> 00:21:51,777
NARRATOR:
NASA realizes we must go to the sun.
424
00:21:52,611 --> 00:21:55,614
(roaring)
425
00:21:57,015 --> 00:22:01,119
But for 50 years,they just can't do it.
426
00:22:01,186 --> 00:22:03,655
KASPER: At first,the findings were it's impossible.
427
00:22:03,722 --> 00:22:05,957
Can't be done.We just don't have the technology.
428
00:22:06,024 --> 00:22:07,592
We'd melt, we couldn't get there.
429
00:22:07,659 --> 00:22:09,895
Finally, in the mid-2000s,
430
00:22:09,961 --> 00:22:12,230
all this technology came
together and we figured out
431
00:22:12,297 --> 00:22:14,299
that we could actually build
a solar probe and fly it.
432
00:22:14,366 --> 00:22:17,369
♪ ♪
433
00:22:21,340 --> 00:22:24,042
(birds chirping)
434
00:22:24,109 --> 00:22:27,145
NARRATOR: It's not surprisingthat reaching the sun is, for so long,
435
00:22:27,212 --> 00:22:30,215
considered mission impossible.
436
00:22:30,282 --> 00:22:34,386
We view our starwith awe and reverence.
437
00:22:34,453 --> 00:22:37,723
(crowd chatter)
438
00:22:39,925 --> 00:22:42,994
To us, it's a solid presence in our sky,
439
00:22:43,061 --> 00:22:46,732
but in reality, there is no solid surface.
440
00:22:47,933 --> 00:22:51,103
Just plasma and countless beams of light,
441
00:22:51,169 --> 00:22:53,438
bursting out from its nuclear core.
442
00:22:53,505 --> 00:22:56,675
Above is the sun's atmosphere, the corona,
443
00:22:56,742 --> 00:22:59,411
the shimmering cloud only seen as a ring
444
00:22:59,478 --> 00:23:02,214
around the sun whenthere's a total eclipse.
445
00:23:03,315 --> 00:23:05,317
Or in images like these,
446
00:23:05,384 --> 00:23:08,353
taken by NASA'sspecialized telescopes.
447
00:23:09,221 --> 00:23:12,691
Within that corona isa scientific mystery,
448
00:23:12,758 --> 00:23:15,527
which Parker Probe may help to explain.
449
00:23:16,895 --> 00:23:18,864
The corona's outer edges,
450
00:23:18,930 --> 00:23:21,466
furthest from the heatof the nuclear core,
451
00:23:21,533 --> 00:23:24,236
are hotter the surface of the sun,
452
00:23:24,302 --> 00:23:27,372
which weirdly defiesthe known laws of physics.
453
00:23:27,439 --> 00:23:28,306
(rumbling)
454
00:23:28,373 --> 00:23:31,376
♪ ♪
455
00:23:32,878 --> 00:23:36,081
YOUNG: The visible surface thatwe're used to, that yellow ball,
456
00:23:36,148 --> 00:23:37,482
is about...
457
00:23:37,549 --> 00:23:40,852
six, 7,000 degrees centigrade.
458
00:23:40,919 --> 00:23:43,722
But, when you move away from
459
00:23:43,789 --> 00:23:46,858
the surface of the sun
into the outer atmosphere,
460
00:23:46,925 --> 00:23:48,827
what we call the corona,
461
00:23:48,894 --> 00:23:51,997
it's actually millions of degrees.
It's crazy.
462
00:23:52,063 --> 00:23:53,765
(fire crackling)
463
00:23:53,832 --> 00:23:56,868
You could think about,if I step away from a camp fire,
464
00:23:56,935 --> 00:23:59,938
it gets colder as I walk away,but the sun doesn't do that.
465
00:24:01,306 --> 00:24:04,342
NARRATOR:
Instead, when your campfire is the sun,
466
00:24:04,409 --> 00:24:07,846
step away from the heat and youget hotter than ever before.
467
00:24:08,780 --> 00:24:10,882
It is to solve that mystery,
468
00:24:10,949 --> 00:24:14,219
and discover howthe furnace heat of the sun
469
00:24:14,286 --> 00:24:17,022
powers dangerous rays towards us,
470
00:24:17,088 --> 00:24:20,625
that the Parker Probemust now reach its target.
471
00:24:20,692 --> 00:24:23,862
(rumbling)
472
00:24:23,929 --> 00:24:25,564
The spacecraft is packed
473
00:24:25,630 --> 00:24:28,600
with a vast array ofscientific instruments.
474
00:24:28,667 --> 00:24:31,002
The only question now,
475
00:24:31,069 --> 00:24:36,141
can the Parker Probe them,safely, to where they are needed?
476
00:24:39,878 --> 00:24:41,880
♪ ♪
477
00:24:41,947 --> 00:24:44,282
NARRATOR:
Parker Solar Probe is blasting
478
00:24:44,349 --> 00:24:49,187
towards Venus at an astonishing68,000 miles an hour.
479
00:24:49,254 --> 00:24:50,722
(rumbling)
480
00:24:50,789 --> 00:24:55,527
Drive that fast in the USA,and coast to coast America is easy.
481
00:24:57,429 --> 00:25:00,866
New York to LA in aroundtwo and a half minutes.
482
00:25:00,932 --> 00:25:02,501
(rocket roar)
483
00:25:02,567 --> 00:25:05,704
And as the speed picks up,they need to make sure
484
00:25:05,770 --> 00:25:08,139
their instruments are working.
485
00:25:08,206 --> 00:25:11,243
KASPER: If something goes wrong,
it probably went wrong during launch.
486
00:25:11,309 --> 00:25:14,779
Something shorted,something shifted, something broke.
487
00:25:14,846 --> 00:25:16,481
(rocket roar)
488
00:25:16,548 --> 00:25:19,651
BETSY CONGDON:
Unlike your iPhone or your computer,
489
00:25:19,718 --> 00:25:21,920
if there is a problem,
you cannot, you know,
490
00:25:21,987 --> 00:25:23,588
walk down the street and get it fixed.
491
00:25:25,123 --> 00:25:27,826
NARRATOR: One by one,the systems switch on
492
00:25:27,893 --> 00:25:29,628
and send back data.
493
00:25:31,796 --> 00:25:34,799
The process takes weeks.There's a lot to check.
494
00:25:34,866 --> 00:25:36,401
♪ ♪
495
00:25:36,468 --> 00:25:39,938
CHRISTIAN: Parker Solar Probeis about the size of a car,
496
00:25:40,005 --> 00:25:42,340
but there are a tremendous
number of components
497
00:25:42,407 --> 00:25:43,775
jammed into that.
498
00:25:44,643 --> 00:25:48,146
NARRATOR: Antenna capturedata about magnetic fields.
499
00:25:49,080 --> 00:25:53,385
The only camera on boardphotographs the solar wind rushing by.
500
00:25:54,419 --> 00:25:59,524
Analyzers capture high-speed particlesas they accelerate into space.
501
00:26:01,126 --> 00:26:04,329
But, only one instrument has the power
502
00:26:04,396 --> 00:26:07,532
to withstand the full fury of the sun.
503
00:26:07,599 --> 00:26:09,267
FOX: The bravest little instrument
504
00:26:09,334 --> 00:26:11,570
on the space craft, the solar probe cup.
505
00:26:11,903 --> 00:26:14,940
It is out. It's looking inthe full solar environment,
506
00:26:15,006 --> 00:26:17,275
and it is measuring what is coming,
507
00:26:17,342 --> 00:26:21,112
literally smashing intothe spacecraft, from the sun.
508
00:26:21,746 --> 00:26:25,383
NARRATOR: Particles fromthe sun pour into the solar cup
509
00:26:25,450 --> 00:26:29,321
to be funneled into detectors measuringtheir speed and temperature.
510
00:26:30,355 --> 00:26:35,160
The cup is the creation ofsolar scientist Justin Kasper.
511
00:26:35,226 --> 00:26:36,895
(exploding)
512
00:26:36,962 --> 00:26:40,265
KASPER: The sun's actuallygonna be 400 to 500 times brighter
513
00:26:40,332 --> 00:26:42,267
at closest approach than it is at Earth.
514
00:26:42,334 --> 00:26:44,202
So any exposed surfaces,
515
00:26:44,269 --> 00:26:46,204
like the front of the solar probe cup,
516
00:26:46,271 --> 00:26:51,209
are gonna get up to temperatures of maybe1500, 1600 degrees Celsius.
517
00:26:51,276 --> 00:26:52,877
And unfortunately, I want
518
00:26:52,944 --> 00:26:54,846
the solar wind to flow
into the instrument,
519
00:26:54,913 --> 00:26:57,949
so I don't get to put a cover over
it to protect the hardware, right?
520
00:26:58,016 --> 00:27:00,485
I have to have it wide open
and staring at the sun.
521
00:27:00,552 --> 00:27:02,187
(fans whirring)
522
00:27:02,253 --> 00:27:04,456
NARRATOR:
Building robotic instruments
523
00:27:04,522 --> 00:27:07,025
for space explorationhas been his life's work.
524
00:27:08,927 --> 00:27:11,930
KASPER:
Got it, hey! Alright. (chuckle)
525
00:27:13,598 --> 00:27:15,767
♪ ♪
526
00:27:15,834 --> 00:27:17,235
MAN (on radio):
Three, two, one.
527
00:27:17,302 --> 00:27:19,371
We have ignition.
528
00:27:21,272 --> 00:27:23,341
KASPER:
I was a small child
529
00:27:23,408 --> 00:27:25,777
as the space shuttle programwas getting off the ground.
530
00:27:25,844 --> 00:27:28,647
MAN (on radio): We have ignitionof the solid rocket boosters,
531
00:27:28,713 --> 00:27:30,482
and liftoff.
532
00:27:33,084 --> 00:27:35,420
KASPER:
In the fourth grade, I and pretty much
533
00:27:35,487 --> 00:27:38,556
every other student in the United States,
534
00:27:38,623 --> 00:27:42,394
we assembled in our cafeterias
to watch the live broadcast.
535
00:27:42,727 --> 00:27:43,962
Sorry, just a sec.
536
00:27:45,263 --> 00:27:47,265
MAN (on radio):
T-minus 15 seconds.
537
00:27:50,702 --> 00:27:52,137
(chuckling)
538
00:27:52,203 --> 00:27:55,140
Well, as you can see,
this really impacted me.
539
00:27:55,807 --> 00:27:57,409
MAN (on radio):
T-minus 10.
540
00:27:57,842 --> 00:28:00,078
KASPER: We're all gonnawatch Challenger take off.
541
00:28:00,145 --> 00:28:01,646
MAN (on radio):
And liftoff.
542
00:28:01,713 --> 00:28:04,649
Liftoff of the 25thspace shuttle mission,
543
00:28:04,716 --> 00:28:06,718
and it is clear of the tower.
544
00:28:07,986 --> 00:28:09,921
KASPER:
This was the first time a non-astronaut,
545
00:28:09,988 --> 00:28:13,491
actually a teacher,
was gonna fly up into space.
546
00:28:13,558 --> 00:28:16,027
(inaudible)
547
00:28:17,929 --> 00:28:20,532
And as you may know,about 60 seconds into the launch,
548
00:28:20,598 --> 00:28:21,700
disaster.
549
00:28:22,100 --> 00:28:24,436
(exploding)
550
00:28:25,036 --> 00:28:28,239
MAN (over radio): 15 seconds,velocity 2900 feet per second...
551
00:28:28,306 --> 00:28:30,608
KASPER: And we're allsitting there in this cafeteria,
552
00:28:30,675 --> 00:28:33,011
you know, just... what's going on?
553
00:28:33,078 --> 00:28:35,213
♪ ♪
554
00:28:35,280 --> 00:28:37,015
And...
555
00:28:37,082 --> 00:28:39,651
that really changed me,
that one moment.
556
00:28:43,221 --> 00:28:45,924
NARRATOR:
Kasper resolves to explore space,
557
00:28:45,990 --> 00:28:49,961
but in a way that minimizesthe risk to human life.
558
00:28:50,028 --> 00:28:52,097
MAN (on radio):
Obviously, a major malfunction.
559
00:28:52,163 --> 00:28:54,999
KASPER:
I was just so struck at
560
00:28:55,066 --> 00:28:57,836
how willing these people were to
take this risk to get into space.
561
00:28:58,403 --> 00:29:00,905
I wanted us to continue that,
562
00:29:00,972 --> 00:29:04,109
but I felt like for some ofthe riskier things we do,
563
00:29:04,175 --> 00:29:05,877
we should do this with robots.
564
00:29:05,944 --> 00:29:08,480
So, I became deeply
interested and passionate
565
00:29:08,546 --> 00:29:10,081
in robotic space exploration.
566
00:29:10,148 --> 00:29:11,649
I wanted to be part of that.
567
00:29:12,650 --> 00:29:14,886
NARRATOR:
Kasper works on his solar cup design
568
00:29:14,953 --> 00:29:17,889
for more than 10 years.
569
00:29:17,956 --> 00:29:21,426
He thinks that alloys of highlyheat-resistant metals
570
00:29:21,493 --> 00:29:23,628
such as titanium, zirconium,
571
00:29:23,695 --> 00:29:25,864
molybdenum, and tungsten
572
00:29:25,930 --> 00:29:28,433
might resist the heat of the sun.
573
00:29:29,934 --> 00:29:32,837
But Kasper's got nowherewith enough sunlight
574
00:29:32,904 --> 00:29:34,906
to test that theory.
575
00:29:35,673 --> 00:29:38,409
KASPER: I was lamentingto a French colleague of mine
576
00:29:38,476 --> 00:29:39,744
that I had this, what I thought
577
00:29:39,811 --> 00:29:41,646
was a great idea for an instrument,
578
00:29:41,713 --> 00:29:44,315
but I didn't feel like I could really
convince NASA it would work
579
00:29:44,382 --> 00:29:46,718
unless I hit it with all this sunlight.
580
00:29:46,785 --> 00:29:47,986
How am I gonna do that?
581
00:29:48,052 --> 00:29:50,889
♪ ♪
582
00:29:50,955 --> 00:29:53,725
NARRATOR:
The answer to Dr. Kasper's question
583
00:29:53,792 --> 00:29:56,361
was hiding in rural France.
584
00:29:56,427 --> 00:29:57,695
(birds chirping)
585
00:30:06,171 --> 00:30:07,972
In the Pyrenees mountain range,
586
00:30:08,039 --> 00:30:12,243
there's a scientific facilitythat's exactly what he needs.
587
00:30:15,613 --> 00:30:18,483
The thousands of mirrorsof the solar furnace
588
00:30:18,550 --> 00:30:21,786
reflect and directthe sun's heat and light
589
00:30:22,487 --> 00:30:24,322
to one parabolic mirror
590
00:30:24,389 --> 00:30:26,858
the height of a 13-story building
591
00:30:26,925 --> 00:30:31,629
and onto one single point of focus.
592
00:30:31,696 --> 00:30:33,097
(crackling)
593
00:30:34,566 --> 00:30:38,236
The lab's deputy director,Marianne Belat-Pichelin,
594
00:30:38,303 --> 00:30:42,073
tests raw materials inthe sun's focused heat.
595
00:30:42,140 --> 00:30:44,742
(machinery whirring)
596
00:30:46,144 --> 00:30:47,812
DR. MARIANNE BALAT-PICHELIN:
All the light is concentrated
597
00:30:47,879 --> 00:30:51,182
and you will see the focus
by using some water.
598
00:30:52,383 --> 00:30:53,718
(spraying)
599
00:30:53,785 --> 00:30:56,821
In order to see thatthe solar flux is very high,
600
00:30:56,888 --> 00:30:59,858
we will burn immediately the wood.
601
00:30:59,924 --> 00:31:01,459
So, I put at the focus,
602
00:31:02,227 --> 00:31:05,230
and, immediately, you can see it burns.
603
00:31:05,964 --> 00:31:07,332
At the focus, we can go
604
00:31:07,398 --> 00:31:10,602
up to 3,500 Celsius.
605
00:31:11,669 --> 00:31:13,972
♪ ♪
606
00:31:14,038 --> 00:31:17,542
NARRATOR: That's three timesas hot as most volcanic lava.
607
00:31:17,842 --> 00:31:20,945
More than hot enoughto melt a steel bar.
608
00:31:21,012 --> 00:31:22,747
(sizzling)
609
00:31:22,814 --> 00:31:26,851
Tests here convince NASAthat Kasper's solar cup
610
00:31:26,918 --> 00:31:31,890
made with heat-resistant tungstenwill survive the heat of the sun.
611
00:31:34,425 --> 00:31:37,161
KASPER:
Amazingly, our colleagues in France
612
00:31:37,228 --> 00:31:39,163
helped us do all that testing.
613
00:31:39,230 --> 00:31:42,400
And that's how we were able to go from
614
00:31:42,467 --> 00:31:45,470
a simple concept to the solar probe cup.
615
00:31:47,839 --> 00:31:51,376
NARRATOR: In Mission Control,early checks of the cup
616
00:31:51,442 --> 00:31:53,511
and other instruments on board
617
00:31:53,578 --> 00:31:56,581
show that everythinghas survived the launch.
618
00:31:57,248 --> 00:32:00,585
It's a big step towardsmission success, but now...
619
00:32:00,985 --> 00:32:02,987
there's another hurdle looming.
620
00:32:03,721 --> 00:32:05,390
FOX:
As we fly past the planet Venus,
621
00:32:05,456 --> 00:32:07,859
we will be eclipsed from the spacecraft.
622
00:32:07,926 --> 00:32:09,928
So, there will bea short period of time
623
00:32:09,994 --> 00:32:12,263
where we can't hearfrom the spacecraft
624
00:32:12,330 --> 00:32:14,232
and we just have to wait for her
625
00:32:14,299 --> 00:32:16,200
to pop out fromthe other side of Venus.
626
00:32:16,267 --> 00:32:17,302
♪ ♪
627
00:32:17,368 --> 00:32:19,304
CHRISTIAN:
Every time you can't hear from it,
628
00:32:19,370 --> 00:32:22,674
it's like a parent who's
worried about their kid,
629
00:32:22,740 --> 00:32:24,375
you know,
who hasn't called.
630
00:32:24,442 --> 00:32:26,978
You would prefer to bein contact all the time.
631
00:32:27,045 --> 00:32:29,547
You can't, especially withthis mission, which is flying
632
00:32:29,614 --> 00:32:32,984
to places where it's just impossible
to get radio communications.
633
00:32:34,919 --> 00:32:37,355
NARRATOR:
The probe is reaching Venus.
634
00:32:37,422 --> 00:32:40,925
It will be out of radio contact.When it reappears,
635
00:32:41,426 --> 00:32:44,595
the entire mission depends on one thing.
636
00:32:44,662 --> 00:32:48,833
It must hit its precisetrajectory to the sun.
637
00:32:52,670 --> 00:32:55,073
♪ ♪
638
00:32:55,139 --> 00:32:56,774
NARRATOR:
The Parker Solar Probe
639
00:32:56,841 --> 00:32:59,344
has been out of contact behind Venus.
640
00:33:00,011 --> 00:33:06,751
As it re-emerges, it beams back datashowing its navigation is perfect.
641
00:33:06,818 --> 00:33:08,786
It's on course for the sun.
642
00:33:09,887 --> 00:33:11,589
This far from Earth,
643
00:33:11,656 --> 00:33:15,393
Mission Control has no wayof affecting its destiny.
644
00:33:17,495 --> 00:33:19,297
ANDY DRIESMAN: At some pointwhen you get close to the sun,
645
00:33:19,364 --> 00:33:20,898
you can no longer talk to the spacecraft.
646
00:33:20,965 --> 00:33:23,901
The sun is a wide band radio source,
647
00:33:23,968 --> 00:33:27,438
which means it broadcasts
very loudly on all frequencies,
648
00:33:27,505 --> 00:33:29,173
and will drown out the spacecraft.
649
00:33:29,240 --> 00:33:30,541
(beeping)
650
00:33:30,608 --> 00:33:32,010
The spacecraft's on its own.
651
00:33:33,311 --> 00:33:37,081
NARRATOR: From now on in,the solar winds get stronger,
652
00:33:37,148 --> 00:33:39,017
and the danger increases.
653
00:33:40,251 --> 00:33:43,321
FOX: She really has tolook after herself on orbit.
654
00:33:43,388 --> 00:33:47,825
It takes light about eight minutes
to travel from the sun to the Earth,
655
00:33:47,892 --> 00:33:50,495
and so you can't
joystick this mission.
656
00:33:50,561 --> 00:33:53,197
If the spacecraft has a problem,
657
00:33:53,264 --> 00:33:55,566
she has to be able to
fix that problem herself.
658
00:33:55,633 --> 00:33:57,168
♪ ♪
659
00:33:57,235 --> 00:34:00,571
NARRATOR: But on Earth,these hazards are being closely monitored.
660
00:34:00,638 --> 00:34:05,009
Just like meteorologists who warn usof storms and hurricanes,
661
00:34:05,076 --> 00:34:08,713
NASA scientists forecast the space weather
662
00:34:09,147 --> 00:34:11,849
that the sun generatesthroughout the solar system.
663
00:34:11,916 --> 00:34:17,488
Their forecasts reveal what dangersthe sun is sending Parker's way.
664
00:34:17,555 --> 00:34:20,291
DR. YARI COLLADA-VEGA: We actuallydo the space weather forecasting
665
00:34:20,358 --> 00:34:23,394
primarily because we wannaprotect NASA robotic missions.
666
00:34:23,461 --> 00:34:26,431
Space weather can cause different
damages to instrumentation.
667
00:34:26,497 --> 00:34:28,800
It can actually fry them up
668
00:34:28,866 --> 00:34:31,769
and cause them to
pretty much be trash.
669
00:34:35,540 --> 00:34:38,142
NARRATOR:
Forecast teams like this not only
670
00:34:38,209 --> 00:34:41,446
warn missions like Parkerthe dangers from the sun,
671
00:34:41,512 --> 00:34:43,448
but also warn astronauts,
672
00:34:43,514 --> 00:34:45,983
like those onthe International Space Station.
673
00:34:46,050 --> 00:34:46,884
(radio chatter)
674
00:34:46,951 --> 00:34:49,220
(whooshing)
675
00:34:49,287 --> 00:34:50,988
COLLADA-VEGA:
This is radiation, right?
676
00:34:51,055 --> 00:34:53,357
It can harm the astronaut, the person,
677
00:34:53,424 --> 00:34:55,927
if it's not blocked in some way.
678
00:34:55,993 --> 00:34:58,696
It has to have some kind ofprotection. Here on Earth,
679
00:34:58,763 --> 00:35:01,933
we are all protected because we
have the magnetic field of the Earth.
680
00:35:01,999 --> 00:35:03,968
Outside in space, that doesn't happen.
681
00:35:04,836 --> 00:35:07,438
Having a mission that isgoing to the solar corona
682
00:35:07,505 --> 00:35:08,739
is gonna help us understand
683
00:35:08,806 --> 00:35:11,342
this kind of activity in a better way.
684
00:35:11,409 --> 00:35:14,011
It's gonna give us the data that we need
685
00:35:14,078 --> 00:35:16,247
to actually plug it in into the models
686
00:35:16,314 --> 00:35:19,383
that we use for predictions,
so we can do better forecasting.
687
00:35:19,450 --> 00:35:21,419
(birds chirping)
688
00:35:22,720 --> 00:35:24,922
NARRATOR:
Nearing the heat of a star,
689
00:35:24,989 --> 00:35:28,459
Parker's survival dependsnow on one thing.
690
00:35:29,093 --> 00:35:31,596
Its five-inch-thick heat shield.
691
00:35:32,663 --> 00:35:35,032
FOX: The very firstfeature that jumps out at you
692
00:35:35,099 --> 00:35:36,901
is our heat shield. It is...
693
00:35:36,968 --> 00:35:38,569
very critical for us.
694
00:35:38,636 --> 00:35:41,239
It is the thing that provides the shade,
695
00:35:41,305 --> 00:35:44,208
and keeps the main body
of the spacecraft cool.
696
00:35:44,275 --> 00:35:45,743
So, it's highly important.
697
00:35:47,678 --> 00:35:51,549
NARRATOR: This all-important heatshield is the product of 10 years work
698
00:35:51,616 --> 00:35:54,018
by engineer Betsy Congdon.
699
00:35:54,085 --> 00:35:56,187
FOX:
Betsy is an absolute rock star,
700
00:35:56,254 --> 00:35:57,922
and, for over a decade,
701
00:35:57,989 --> 00:36:00,258
she has devoted her entire life
702
00:36:00,324 --> 00:36:03,361
to making sure that
our heat shield works.
703
00:36:03,427 --> 00:36:05,730
She lovingly calls it
her eight-foot Frisbee.
704
00:36:07,265 --> 00:36:09,033
CONGDON: At this approach,we're starting to get hot.
705
00:36:09,100 --> 00:36:12,136
And so the heat shieldhas to remain between
706
00:36:12,203 --> 00:36:15,039
the spacecraft
and the shield at all times,
707
00:36:15,106 --> 00:36:17,742
so that the shield is protecting
the spacecraft from the sun.
708
00:36:17,808 --> 00:36:19,744
It's basically a sun umbrella.
709
00:36:21,779 --> 00:36:24,582
In true engineering terms,
710
00:36:24,649 --> 00:36:26,317
the heat shield is surprisingly simple.
711
00:36:26,784 --> 00:36:30,254
NARRATOR: Behind the shield'sreflective ceramic coating
712
00:36:30,988 --> 00:36:34,058
are layers of an engineeredcarbon composite.
713
00:36:35,426 --> 00:36:37,261
A shield so effective,
714
00:36:37,328 --> 00:36:39,697
it keeps the probe'sall-important instruments
715
00:36:39,764 --> 00:36:42,099
at their normal working temperature.
716
00:36:42,166 --> 00:36:44,001
♪ ♪
717
00:36:44,068 --> 00:36:46,470
FOX: Our heat shields will
experience temperatures
718
00:36:46,537 --> 00:36:48,906
of up to 1,400 degrees Celsius.
719
00:36:48,973 --> 00:36:51,542
It provides such an effective shade,
720
00:36:51,609 --> 00:36:54,445
that the main body ofthe spacecraft itself
721
00:36:54,512 --> 00:36:56,714
is at about 30 degrees centigrade,
722
00:36:56,781 --> 00:36:59,450
which is a lovely summer's day.
723
00:36:59,517 --> 00:37:01,586
(seagulls cawing)
724
00:37:03,521 --> 00:37:05,089
NARRATOR:
With no guidance from Earth,
725
00:37:05,156 --> 00:37:07,458
tiny censors behind the heat shield
726
00:37:07,525 --> 00:37:09,794
ensure that it constantly adjusts
727
00:37:09,860 --> 00:37:12,863
to hide the craft from the searing heat.
728
00:37:13,331 --> 00:37:17,568
Sunlight hitting any sensortriggers an immediate response.
729
00:37:19,303 --> 00:37:20,638
CONGDON:
The spacecraft knows,
730
00:37:20,705 --> 00:37:23,174
"Oh, I might be skewing
a little bit the wrong way."
731
00:37:23,241 --> 00:37:26,744
And so, it actually will right itself
without any human in the loop.
732
00:37:26,811 --> 00:37:29,180
So, an autonomous system,
which basically is,
733
00:37:29,247 --> 00:37:31,549
it's just working without
us having to do anything.
734
00:37:31,616 --> 00:37:35,019
It knows what it needs to do
and it rights itself.
735
00:37:35,086 --> 00:37:37,154
♪ ♪
736
00:37:37,221 --> 00:37:39,323
NARRATOR: Righting itselfis something that the probe
737
00:37:39,390 --> 00:37:42,960
is going to have to dofor the next seven years,
738
00:37:43,027 --> 00:37:46,764
as it swoops aroundthe sun time after time.
739
00:37:47,798 --> 00:37:52,837
And this vital system is about to haveits first real-life test.
740
00:37:52,903 --> 00:37:55,406
The temperature is rising.
741
00:37:57,108 --> 00:38:00,111
The probe is reaching the sun.
742
00:38:04,548 --> 00:38:07,084
♪ ♪
743
00:38:07,151 --> 00:38:09,086
NARRATOR:
The Parker Solar Probe
744
00:38:09,153 --> 00:38:12,123
has traveled a roundaboutroute to the sun.
745
00:38:12,189 --> 00:38:14,158
From its launch in Florida,
746
00:38:14,225 --> 00:38:17,228
it has journeyed millionsof miles to Venus
747
00:38:17,295 --> 00:38:19,363
and millions of miles more
748
00:38:19,430 --> 00:38:22,900
to brush the atmosphere of a star.
749
00:38:24,902 --> 00:38:27,104
The hope now is that data
750
00:38:27,171 --> 00:38:29,573
gathered by its differentsuites of instruments,
751
00:38:29,640 --> 00:38:34,912
packed onto and into everynook and cranny of the tiny spacecraft,
752
00:38:34,979 --> 00:38:40,084
will finally help solvethe greatest mysteries of the sun.
753
00:38:40,151 --> 00:38:43,788
Flying through the plasmaclouds of the sun's corona
754
00:38:43,854 --> 00:38:48,025
will let us better forecastthe potentially dangerous space weather
755
00:38:48,092 --> 00:38:51,095
that can bring chaosto our modern society.
756
00:38:52,096 --> 00:38:56,767
And in the future,what we learn today about our sun
757
00:38:56,834 --> 00:38:59,770
will guide our continuingsearch for life
758
00:38:59,837 --> 00:39:02,173
elsewhere in the universe.
759
00:39:03,841 --> 00:39:05,676
CHRISTIAN:
Understanding the habitability of planets
760
00:39:05,743 --> 00:39:06,844
as we're seeing more and more
761
00:39:06,911 --> 00:39:09,880
planets in the universe
is really important.
762
00:39:09,947 --> 00:39:13,284
We know that we have life
on Earth because of the sun.
763
00:39:13,351 --> 00:39:15,219
We're in what's called
the habitable zone.
764
00:39:15,286 --> 00:39:18,322
We're far enough away fromthe sun that we're not too hot,
765
00:39:18,389 --> 00:39:21,459
near enough that there'sliquid water here.
766
00:39:21,525 --> 00:39:24,895
♪ ♪
767
00:39:24,962 --> 00:39:27,331
FOX:
The sun is our star.
768
00:39:27,398 --> 00:39:29,433
It gives us light,it gives us heat.
769
00:39:29,500 --> 00:39:32,370
We wouldn't be here
without our star.
770
00:39:32,436 --> 00:39:34,505
But, it is just an average star.
771
00:39:37,675 --> 00:39:41,579
The same as many other starsin many other solar systems.
772
00:39:41,645 --> 00:39:43,614
And so by studying our sun,
773
00:39:43,681 --> 00:39:46,617
it actually gives usinsights into how stars
774
00:39:46,684 --> 00:39:49,653
all over the galaxywill actually work.
775
00:39:50,588 --> 00:39:53,157
NARRATOR:
November 1st, 2018...
776
00:39:56,060 --> 00:40:01,966
Parker Solar Probe hits179,000 miles an hour.
777
00:40:02,032 --> 00:40:07,037
It is now the fastest objectever made by humankind.
778
00:40:11,509 --> 00:40:13,511
(whooshing by)
779
00:40:14,345 --> 00:40:16,347
(sun rumbling)
780
00:40:18,182 --> 00:40:20,751
CHRISTIAN: It's getting intothe region where the solar wind
781
00:40:20,818 --> 00:40:21,986
is still being accelerated
782
00:40:22,052 --> 00:40:23,954
and where the corona
is still being heated.
783
00:40:24,021 --> 00:40:25,289
That's what we mean
by touch the sun.
784
00:40:25,356 --> 00:40:28,426
♪ ♪
785
00:40:29,560 --> 00:40:32,096
NARRATOR:
Being this close to a star
786
00:40:32,163 --> 00:40:35,966
is like driving your car intothe heart of a nuclear reactor.
787
00:40:36,033 --> 00:40:41,172
Nothing made by man has everbraved such dangers before.
788
00:40:42,373 --> 00:40:44,442
VIALL:
It's incredibly hot.
789
00:40:44,508 --> 00:40:47,645
The energetic particles are
going to be very extreme.
790
00:40:47,711 --> 00:40:50,681
Incredibly hostile place.
791
00:40:50,748 --> 00:40:52,216
(rumbling)
792
00:40:52,550 --> 00:40:54,518
CHRISTIAN:
The heat is tremendous.
793
00:40:54,585 --> 00:40:58,556
The temperatures on the front faceof our carbon heat shield
794
00:40:58,622 --> 00:41:00,891
are up over 1,000 degrees.
795
00:41:00,958 --> 00:41:03,227
All of our instruments
hide in the shadows.
796
00:41:03,294 --> 00:41:05,563
They're still working. The science,
797
00:41:05,629 --> 00:41:08,399
the technology that'sgone into getting us there,
798
00:41:08,466 --> 00:41:09,900
has been tremendous.
799
00:41:09,967 --> 00:41:11,969
(rumbling)
800
00:41:14,538 --> 00:41:16,273
NARRATOR:
On Earth, we think of light
801
00:41:16,340 --> 00:41:18,843
as pure weightless illumination.
802
00:41:20,277 --> 00:41:22,780
(waves lapping)
803
00:41:24,181 --> 00:41:26,650
♪ ♪
804
00:41:26,717 --> 00:41:28,385
This close to the sun,
805
00:41:28,452 --> 00:41:31,455
light hits you like a hammer blow.
806
00:41:31,522 --> 00:41:33,724
(rumbling)
807
00:41:33,791 --> 00:41:36,627
The sheer pressureof the photons of light,
808
00:41:36,694 --> 00:41:39,230
its individual packets of energy,
809
00:41:39,296 --> 00:41:42,299
pushes the probe with a physical force.
810
00:41:42,366 --> 00:41:45,369
(wind blowing)
811
00:41:46,103 --> 00:41:48,272
Everything that controls our solar system
812
00:41:48,339 --> 00:41:50,040
is really from the sun.
813
00:41:50,107 --> 00:41:52,209
Energetic particles, the light,
814
00:41:52,276 --> 00:41:55,980
the solar wind, it all comes from the sun.To actually get to touch it
815
00:41:56,046 --> 00:41:57,548
is really amazing.
816
00:42:03,087 --> 00:42:05,823
KASPER:
We have successfully designed a spacecraft
817
00:42:05,890 --> 00:42:08,859
that can survive plunginginto the sun's atmosphere.
818
00:42:08,926 --> 00:42:10,628
And that's an incredible accomplishment.
819
00:42:10,694 --> 00:42:12,696
(rumbling)
820
00:42:13,964 --> 00:42:16,000
CHRISTIAN:
This is the moment we've been working for,
821
00:42:16,066 --> 00:42:18,068
hard, all these years.
822
00:42:19,370 --> 00:42:21,939
DRIESMAN:
Many, many hours. Many... gray hairs.
823
00:42:22,006 --> 00:42:23,874
I had no gray hairs when
I started this mission.
824
00:42:24,909 --> 00:42:27,344
NARRATOR:
It's not the end of the mission,
825
00:42:27,411 --> 00:42:29,747
but on November the 5th, 2018,
826
00:42:29,813 --> 00:42:33,150
at 10:27 PM Eastern Standard Time,
827
00:42:33,217 --> 00:42:36,754
the Parker Probereaches its first destination.
828
00:42:37,488 --> 00:42:41,225
A milestone in the humanexploration of space.
829
00:42:42,293 --> 00:42:45,262
This is perihelion.
830
00:42:45,329 --> 00:42:49,833
The closest humankindhas ever been to a star.
831
00:42:49,900 --> 00:42:51,702
♪ ♪
832
00:42:51,769 --> 00:42:54,605
FOX:
To be flying through the corona
833
00:42:54,672 --> 00:42:57,508
for the very first time
is just incredible.
834
00:42:57,575 --> 00:43:00,077
It is uncharted territory,
835
00:43:00,144 --> 00:43:03,147
and Parker Solar Probe is
blazing her way through there.
836
00:43:03,213 --> 00:43:06,183
(rumbling)
837
00:43:06,250 --> 00:43:08,218
Captioned by Point.360
66551
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