Skip to main content
Back to Show
NOVA

NASA Heads to the Sun

On August 12, 2018, NASA launched the Parker Solar Probe to study the Sun like never before. It will hurtle towards the star at the center of our solar system at 120 miles per second, which is the fastest human-made object ever. The heat shield on the front of the probe will withstand temperatures of about 2500 degrees Fahrenheit to keep the instruments at roughly room temperature.

Support Provided By
Season
Solar System: Storm Worlds
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:34
Discover the dramatic forces creating spectacular weather on neighboring planets and moons.
Decoding the Universe: Cosmos
53:38
Explore big discoveries that have revolutionized our understanding of the universe.
Secrets in Your Data
53:40
Find out who’s using your data and what you can do about it.
Great American Eclipse
53:34
Explore the spectacular cosmic phenomenon of a total solar eclipse.
A.I. Revolution
53:30
Explore the promise and perils of new A.I. technologies.
Hunt for the Oldest DNA
53:10
Follow the quest to recover DNA millions of years old for the very first time.
Building the Eiffel Tower
53:15
Explore the engineering behind Paris’s iconic landmark, the tallest structure of its time.
Easter Island Origins
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:17
New evidence reveals the real story of Easter Island and the builders of its stone heads.
When Whales Could Walk
53:31
Giant fossils uncovered in the Sahara Desert reveal new secrets of how whales evolved.
NOVA Season 50
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:30
A family turns to science in their struggle to rediscover a history obscured by slavery.
The Battle to Beat Malaria
53:54
Follow the quest to create a lifesaving malaria vaccine.
Inside China's Tech Boom
53:20
The inside story of China’s meteoric rise to the forefront of global innovation.
Active loading indicator