Sector News

Parker Solar Probe acquires first data since Perihelion

Published

8 years ago

25 December 2018

On Nov. 16, Parker Solar Probe reported that all systems are operating well in the first detailed performance and health update sent to Earth by the spacecraft since its first solar encounter.

At about 6:00 p.m. EST on Friday, Nov. 16, mission controllers at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab in Laurel, Maryland, received the report from the spacecraft, which also included information about the data collected by the four instrument suites during its first solar encounter. Parker Solar Probe’s first solar encounter phase took place Oct. 31 Nov. 11, culminating in its first close approach to the Sun called perihelion on Nov. 6 at just 15 million miles from the Sun’s surface, the closest any spacecraft has ever come to our star.

All Parker Solar Probe systems are operating well and as designed. The solid state recorder on the spacecraft indicated that, as planned, the four instrument suites had recorded a significant amount of data, which is scheduled to be downloaded to Earth via the Deep Space Network over several weeks starting Dec. 7. In addition to helping scientists begin to explore fundamental questions about the physics of our star, the data from this initial perihelion — collected closer to the Sun than any before — will help instrument teams calibrate Parker Solar Probe’s instruments and plan future observations.

“The team is extremely proud to confirm that we have a healthy spacecraft following perihelion,” said APL’s Nick Pinkine, mission operations manager for Parker Solar Probe. “This is a big milestone, and we’re looking forward to some amazing science data coming down in a few weeks.”

During the 11-day solar encounter, the spacecraft executed only one autonomous momentum dump – a procedure in which small thrusters are used to adjust the speed of Parker’s reaction wheels. The rate of spin of the wheels is adjusted to maintain the desired orientation of the spacecraft relative to the Sun. Momentum dumps are expected during solar encounters, as the wheels spin up to counter increasing torque from the gravitational effects of the solar environment. Executing only one dump indicates that the spacecraft is well balanced, minimizing the need for these dumps during future solar encounters, which will save propellant.

Parker Solar Probe’s second perihelion will occur on April 4, 2019. During the seven-year mission, the spacecraft will perform a total of 24 perihelia, with the last three bringing the spacecraft to less than 4 million miles from the Sun’s surface.

Post Views: 424

Up Next

Maldives luxury resort is powered entirely by solar panels

Don't Miss

SolarEdge’s EV-Charging PV Inverter Wins the 2018 BIG Awards for Business

Click to comment

Product News

EnerVenue signs 11 MWh lithium-free nickel-hydrogen battery order in China

EnerVenue has won its first multi-megawatt-hour order: 26 Energy Prism units totalling 11 MWh for a major Chinese oil and gas producer.

Published

19 minutes ago

4 October 2026

Mesut Kul

Illustration of EnerVenue Energy Prism battery units at an oil and gas site

EnerVenue, developer of lithium-free nickel-hydrogen batteries, has signed its first multi-megawatt-hour commercial order: 11 MWh with a major Chinese oil and gas producer. Announced on 23 September 2026, the order covers 26 containerised Energy Prism units that will store solar power at an oilfield in northern China.

Shifting daytime solar to peak hours

According to the company, the systems will shift the site’s daytime solar output to peak demand hours. Three units will ship in December 2026 and 23 in March 2027. The customer was not named; EnerVenue says safety was the primary selection factor.

Water-based, non-flammable electrolyte

The Energy Prism units use EnerVenue’s fourth-generation Aqueous Metal Cell (AMC), a nickel-hydrogen chemistry with a water-based, non-flammable electrolyte, designed for 30,000 charge cycles – up to three cycles a day for 30 years. The company says the cells passed UL 9540A fire propagation testing with no fire at cell level.

CEO Henning Rath said an oil and gas producer does not put new technology on a working site unless it is completely satisfied that the safety case is sound. CTO Dr Majid Keshavarz said the AMC chemistry does not produce the progression of events that leads to ignition, fire or explosion.

New line in Changzhou

The units will be made at the company’s new facility in Changzhou, Jiangsu, which opened on 24 September 2026. Phase 1 capacity is 250 MWh a year, with plans to reach 1 GWh in 2027.

Sources

EnerVenue, “EnerVenue Signs 11 MWh Lithium-Free Battery Order in China”, press release, 23.09.2026 – enervenue.com

Illustrative image: EnerVenue

Post Views: 1

Sector News

Gotion ships storage systems for Egypt’s Nefertiti and Horus projects within three months

Gotion dispatched Gotion Grid 5 MWh systems for AMEA Power’s Nefertiti and Horus projects in Egypt just three months after contract signing.

Published

19 minutes ago

4 October 2026

Mesut Kul

Trucks carrying Gotion Grid 5 MWh energy storage systems departing for Egypt

Chinese battery manufacturer Gotion High-Tech has started delivering what it describes as Africa’s largest AC-coupled energy storage project: Gotion Grid 5 MWh systems for the Nefertiti and Horus storage projects in Egypt. According to the company’s 30 September 2026 release, only three months passed between contract signing and the departure of the first shipment.

50 trucks from Jinzhai and Nantong

On 28 September 2026, 50 heavy-duty trucks carrying Gotion Grid 5 MWh systems left Gotion’s Jinzhai and Nantong facilities in China. The Nefertiti and Horus projects, developed by AMEA Power and built by China Energy Engineering Group, are Egypt’s first large-scale standalone storage facilities.

Full DC-to-AC integration

Gotion says the systems are supplied with full DC-to-AC integration, including in-house cells, battery management systems, DC systems, power conversion systems and transformers. They are designed for extreme heat, sandstorms and salt fog – conditions typical of the project sites.

A step into the Middle East and North Africa

Hussain Al Nowais, Chairman of AMEA Power, said the shipment opens a new stage of broader cooperation and that the company is proud of and satisfied with its partnership with Gotion. Li Chen, Senior Vice President of Gotion, called Egypt a key step for Gotion into the Middle East and North Africa, proving it can deliver end-to-end, operate locally and commit for the long term.

Sources

Gotion High-Tech, “Gotion Delivers Africa’s Largest AC-Coupled Storage Project in Just 3 Months”, press release (PR Newswire), 30.09.2026 – prnewswire.com

Image: Gotion High-Tech

Post Views: 1

Sector News

Greenvolt starts construction of 2.4 GWh Siedlce battery storage project in Poland

Greenvolt Power has begun building the 600 MW / 2.4 GWh Siedlce project with BYD batteries – set to be Poland’s largest battery storage facility.

Published

19 minutes ago

4 October 2026

Mesut Kul

Groundbreaking ceremony for Greenvolt's Siedlce battery storage project in Poland

Greenvolt Power has started construction of the 600 MW / 2.4 GWh Siedlce battery energy storage project in Poland. Announced on 24 September 2026, the project will become Poland’s largest and one of Europe’s largest battery storage facilities, according to the company. Commercial operation is planned for the end of 2027.

210 battery containers from BYD

According to Greenvolt, BYD Energy Storage is supplying the batteries. The facility will comprise 210 battery containers and 105 transformer containers with power conversion systems. P&Q is responsible for engineering and construction and ONDE for the electrical infrastructure.

1 GW / 4 GWh in Poland

Greenvolt’s 200 MW / 800 MWh Turośń Kościelna facility has been operating since July 2026, while the Ełk project of the same size is expected online in the fourth quarter of 2026. Together with Siedlce, the three projects will total 1 GW / 4 GWh. The company’s probability-weighted BESS pipeline stands at around 4.6 GW, of which about 2.4 GW is in Poland.

João Manso Neto, CEO of Greenvolt Group, said that with Siedlce the company is once again moving from plans to delivery, adding that Poland is a key market and battery storage is becoming an increasingly important part of its growth.