Billion-factor sunscreen is a good idea

SO NASA’s Parker Solar Probe was delayed a day but has launched and is on its way to orbit the sun at the closest distance ever at 6 million kilometres. It will also be the fastest human device ever made when it reaches a velocity of 680 000km/h as it enters a complex solar orbit.

The Parker Probe is about the size of a small car, but even at 6 million km from the sun’s surface, it needs good heat-shielding as it needs to withstand temperatures of about 1 377ºC to send data back to Earth in December. Nasa ignored my weight-saving idea, that they just send the probe to orbit the sun at night or send astronauts to observe it with factor 1-billion sun cream, but all the best to Nasa on this mission.

PICTURE: NASA/JOHNS HOPKINS APL/STEVE GRIBBEN HOT STUFF: An artist’s rendering of Nasa’s Parker Solar Probe approaching the sun.