<Table> Parker Solar Probe <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Artistic rendition of the Parker Solar Probe . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Names </Th> <Td> Solar Probe (before 2002) Solar Probe Plus (2010--17) Parker Solar Probe (since 2017) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Mission type </Th> <Td> Heliophysics </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Operator </Th> <Td> NASA Applied Physics Laboratory </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> COSPAR ID </Th> <Td> 2018 - 065A </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> SATCAT no . </Th> <Td> 43592 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Website </Th> <Td> parkersolarprobe.jhuapl.edu </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Mission duration </Th> <Td> Planned: 6 years, 321 days Elapsed: 2 months and 18 days </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Spacecraft properties </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Manufacturer </Th> <Td> Applied Physics Laboratory </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Launch mass </Th> <Td> 685 kg (1,510 lb) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Dry mass </Th> <Td> 555 kg (1,224 lb) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Payload mass </Th> <Td> 50 kg (110 lb) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> 1.0 m × 3.0 m × 2.3 m (3.3 ft × 9.8 ft × 7.5 ft) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Power </Th> <Td> 343 W (at closest approach) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Start of mission </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Launch date </Th> <Td> August 12, 2018, 07: 31 UTC </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Rocket </Th> <Td> Delta IV Heavy / Star - 48BV </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Launch site </Th> <Td> Cape Canaveral SLC - 37 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Contractor </Th> <Td> United Launch Alliance </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Orbital parameters </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Reference system </Th> <Td> Heliocentric </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Semi-major axis </Th> <Td> 0.388 AU (58.0 million km; 36.1 million mi) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Perihelion </Th> <Td> 0.046 AU (6.9 million km; 4.3 million mi; 9.86 R) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Aphelion </Th> <Td> 0.73 AU (109 million km; 68 million mi) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Inclination </Th> <Td> 3.4 ° </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Period </Th> <Td> 88 days </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Sun </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Transponders </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Band </Th> <Td> K band X band </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> <Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> show Instruments </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> SWEAP </Th> <Td> Solar Wind Electrons Alphas and Protons Investigation </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> SPC </Th> <Td> Solar Probe Cup </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> SPAN </Th> <Td> Solar Probe Analyzers </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> WISPR </Th> <Td> Wide - field Imager for Solar Probe </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> FIELDS </Th> <Td> Electromagnetic Fields Investigation </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> IS ☉ IS ‒ EPI </Th> <Td> Integrated Science Investigation of the Sun Energetic Particle Instruments </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Official insignia for the Parker Solar Probe mission </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Artistic rendition of the Parker Solar Probe . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Names </Th> <Td> Solar Probe (before 2002) Solar Probe Plus (2010--17) Parker Solar Probe (since 2017) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Mission type </Th> <Td> Heliophysics </Td> </Tr>

When will parker solar probe return to earth