NASA Parker Solar Probe launch in historic lift off as 7-year mission begins.
The NASA Parker Solar Probe has blasted off from Florida’s Cape Canaveral air base in a seven-year mission to explore the Sun’s outer-atmosphere.
The car-sized spacecraft was successfully launched on board NASA’s Delta IV Heavy rocket at 8:31am UK time (3:31am EDT).
The €1.3 miljard ($1.5bn) probe will become the fastest-moving manmade object in history, travelling around the Sun at 690.000km/h.
NASA said the daring mission to ‘touch the Sun’ will help scientists unlock some of the solar system’s greatest secrets.
Our traveling photoreporter Rob v. Mackelenbergh gathered among the thousands of people to watch and photograph the Parker Solar Probe take off.
Space-Site.com / Rob v. Mackelenbergh