This visualization opens near Earth for the launch of Parker Solar Probe August 12, 2018. Then the camera moves around the Sun to match of with Earth again for the launch of Solar Orbiter in 2020. After that, the camera moves in a slow drift around the Sun as the orbits evolve. The Parker Solar Probe orbit fades out after the nominal end of mission in 2025. This version has longer orbit trails to better view orbit changes, and the red along the orbits indicate the nominal science operations portions of the missions. || ParkerAndSolarOrbiter.InnerTourDeluxe.HAE.AU.clockSlate_EarthTarget.HD1080i.02000_print.jpg (1024x576) [100.7 KB] || DeluxeTour (1920x1080) [0 Item(s)] || ParkerAndSolarOrbiter.InnerTourDeluxe.HD1080i_p30.webm (1920x1080) [17.6 MB] || ParkerAndSolarOrbiter.InnerTourDeluxe.HD1080i_p30.mp4 (1920x1080) [179.8 MB] || DeluxeTour (3840x2160) [0 Item(s)] || ParkerAndSolarOrbiter.InnerTourDeluxe_2160p30.mp4 (3840x2160) [489.0 MB] || ParkerAndSolarOrbiter.InnerTourDeluxe.HD1080i_p30.mp4.hwshow [270 bytes] || ParkerAndSolarOrbiter.InnerTourDeluxe_2160p30.mp4.hwshow [211 bytes] ||

There have been few changes since the 2018 Heliophysics Fleet. Van Allen Probes and SORCE have been decommissioned, while Solar Orbiter, ICON and SET have been added. As of spring 2020, here's a tour of the NASA Heliophysics fleet from the near-Earth satellites out to the Voyagers beyond the heliopause.Excepting the Voyager missions, the satellite orbits are color coded for their observing program:Magenta: TIM (Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere) observationsYellow: solar observations and imageryCyan: Geospace and magnetosphereViolet: Heliospheric observations ||

In addition to the NASA missions used in research for space weather (see 2020 Heliophysics Fleet) there are additional missions operated by NOAA used for space weather forecasting. As of spring 2020, here's a tour of the NASA and NOAA Heliophysics fleets from the near-Earth satellites out to the inner solar system.The satellite orbits are color coded for their observing program:Magenta: TIM (Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere) observationsYellow: solar observations and imageryCyan: Geospace and magnetosphereViolet: Heliospheric observations ||

There has been one significant change since the 2020 Heliophysics Fleet. SET has been decommissioned. As of Fall 2022, here's a tour of the NASA Heliophysics fleet from the near-Earth satellites out to the Voyagers beyond the heliopause.Excepting the Voyager missions, the satellite orbits are color coded for their observing program:Magenta: TIM (Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere) observationsYellow: solar observations and imageryCyan: Geospace and magnetosphereViolet: Heliospheric observations ||

This visualization opens with a top-down view, then transtions to an oblique view of the inner solar system with the various solar-observing missions conducting coordinated observations of the plasma environment. This version displays the imaging instrument camera frustums and solar magnetic field alignments - the 'glyph' version. A version with just the orbits, no 'glyphs' is available in the [Download Options] menu. || SolarSynergiesPlus.Encounter2022FebTop2Side.HAE.AU.glyphs_CRTT.HD1080.01300_print.jpg (1024x576) [123.3 KB] || SolarSynergiesPlus.Encounter2022FebTop2Side.HAE.AU.glyphs_CRTT.HD1080.01300_searchweb.png (320x180) [78.9 KB] || SolarSynergiesPlus.Encounter2022FebTop2Side.HAE.AU.glyphs_CRTT.HD1080.01300_thm.png (80x40) [5.2 KB] || Encounter2022FebTop2Side (1920x1080) [0 Item(s)] || Encounter2022FebTop2Side.glyphs (1920x1080) [0 Item(s)] || SolarSynergiesPlus.Encounter2022FebTop2Side.HD1080_p30.mp4 (1920x1080) [47.0 MB] || SolarSynergiesPlus.Encounter2022FebTop2Side.glyphs.HD1080_p30.mp4 (1920x1080) [60.7 MB] || SolarSynergiesPlus.Encounter2022FebTop2Side.HD1080_p30.webm (1920x1080) [9.7 MB] || Encounter2022FebTop2Side (3840x2160) [0 Item(s)] || Encounter2022FebTop2Side.glyphs (3840x2160) [0 Item(s)] || SolarSynergiesPlus.Encounter2022FebTop2Side.UHD2160_p30.mp4 (3840x2160) [143.6 MB] || SolarSynergiesPlus.Encounter2022FebTop2Side.glyphs.UHD2160_p30.mp4 (3840x2160) [176.4 MB] || SolarSynergiesPlus.Encounter2022FebTop2Side.HD1080_p30.mp4.hwshow [220 bytes] ||

Parker Solar Probe is making its final planned orbits around the Sun.On Wednesday, November 6, 2024, NASA's Parker Solar Probe completed it's final Venus gravity assist maneuver, passing within 233 miles (376 kilometers) of Venus' surface. The flyby adjusted Parker's trajectory into its final orbital configuration, bringing the spacecraft to within an unprecedented 3.86 million miles from the solar surface on December 24, 2024. It will be the closest any human-made object has been to the Sun. ||

There have been some changes since the 2022 Heliophysics Fleet. AIM and ICON have been decommissioned while two other instruments have been added. AWE is an instrument mounted on the ISS, and RAD is a particle detector on the Curiosity Mars rover. As of Winter 2024, here's a tour of the NASA Heliophysics fleet from the near-Earth satellites out to the Voyagers beyond the heliopause. ||

Main flight harness installation.Credit: NASA/JHUAPL || LARGE_MP4-12726_ParkerSolarProbe_17-04-05_Top_Deck_SACS_Installation_Dolbow_Ruiz_17-00072_large.00021_print.jpg (1024x576) [120.4 KB] || LARGE_MP4-12726_ParkerSolarProbe_17-04-05_Top_Deck_SACS_Installation_Dolbow_Ruiz_17-00072_large.00021_searchweb.png (320x180) [75.4 KB] || LARGE_MP4-12726_ParkerSolarProbe_17-04-05_Top_Deck_SACS_Installation_Dolbow_Ruiz_17-00072_large.00021_web.png (320x180) [75.4 KB] || LARGE_MP4-12726_ParkerSolarProbe_17-04-05_Top_Deck_SACS_Installation_Dolbow_Ruiz_17-00072_large.00021_thm.png (80x40) [5.6 KB] || 12726_ParkerSolarProbe_17-04-05_Top_Deck_SACS_Installation_Dolbow_Ruiz_17-00072_prores.mov (1920x1080) [2.9 GB] || PRORES_B-ROLL-12726_ParkerSolarProbe_17-04-05_Top_Deck_SACS_Installation_Dolbow_Ruiz_17-00072_prores.mov (1280x720) [1.5 GB] || YOUTUBE_1080-12726_ParkerSolarProbe_17-04-05_Top_Deck_SACS_Installation_Dolbow_Ruiz_17-00072_youtube_1080.mp4 (1920x1080) [373.7 MB] || APPLE_TV-12726_ParkerSolarProbe_17-04-05_Top_Deck_SACS_Installation_Dolbow_Ruiz_17-00072_appletv.m4v (1280x720) [117.9 MB] || NASA_TV-12726_ParkerSolarProbe_17-04-05_Top_Deck_SACS_Installation_Dolbow_Ruiz_17-00072.mpeg (1280x720) [697.9 MB] || LARGE_MP4-12726_ParkerSolarProbe_17-04-05_Top_Deck_SACS_Installation_Dolbow_Ruiz_17-00072_large.mp4 (1920x1080) [209.3 MB] || 17-04-05_Top_Deck_SACS_Installation_Dolbow_Ruiz_17-00072_1080p.mp4 (1920x1080) [408.5 MB] || LARGE_MP4-12726_ParkerSolarProbe_blanketing_17-08-01-08_SPP_Timelapse_17-00_large.webm (1280x720) [15.6 MB] || NASA_PODCAST-12726_ParkerSolarProbe_17-04-05_Top_Deck_SACS_Installation_Dolbow_Ruiz_17-00072_ipod_sm.mp4 (320x240) [38.5 MB] ||

Parker Solar Probe will swoop to within four million miles of the Sun's surface, facing heat and radiation like no spacecraft before it. Launching in 2018, Parker Solar Probe will provide new data on solar activity and make critical contributions to our ability to forecast major space-weather events that impact life on Earth.Parker Solar Probe is an extraordinary and historic mission exploring arguably the last and most important region of the solar system to be visited by a spacecraft to finally answer top-priority science goals for over five decades.But we don't do this just for the basic science.One recent study by the National Academy of Sciences estimated that without advance warning a huge solar event could cause two trillion dollars in damage in the U.S. alone, and the eastern seaboard of the U.S. could be without power for a year.In order to unlock the mysteries of the corona, but also to protect a society that is increasingly dependent on technology from the threats of space weather, we will send Parker Solar Probe to touch the Sun. ||

Animated Sequence Of Parker Solar ProbeCredit: NASA/JHUAPL || ParkerSolarProbe-AnimatedSequence.00001_print.jpg (1024x576) [41.9 KB] || ParkerSolarProbe-AnimatedSequence.00001_searchweb.png (180x320) [37.2 KB] || ParkerSolarProbe-AnimatedSequence.00001_web.png (320x180) [37.2 KB] || ParkerSolarProbe-AnimatedSequence.00001_thm.png (80x40) [3.2 KB] || ParkerAnimatedSeq.mov (1920x1080) [2.9 GB] || ParkerAnimatedSeq.mp4 (1920x1080) [343.1 MB] || ParkerAnimatedSeq.webm (1920x1080) [21.1 MB] ||