Parker Solar Probe
The Parker Solar Probe is a NASA spacecraft launched to study the Sun’s outer atmosphere at close range.
Also known as: Parker probe, Solar Probe Plus
How big is it?
3 m tall
Overall spacecraft height · approximate
Typical recorded range: 2.9 m to 3.1 m.
A little perspective
About the same scale as Table tennis table.
Table tennis table: A table tennis table is a flat, rectangular surface divided by a net for playing the game of table tennis.
Measurements, assumptions & sources +
Parker Solar Probe
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe is approximately 3 m high with a 2.3 m heat-shield diameter and had a launch mass of about 685 kg. The deployed solar arrays and instrument appendages do not define the calibrated height.
NASA — Parker Solar Probe mission
The marked overall spacecraft height is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
Table tennis table
2.74 × 1.525 m playing surface. Excludes surrounding space.
WA Government — table tennis dimensions
The marked length is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
Change your perspective
Put it next to…
Choose a suggestion to redraw the comparison, or open its page to learn what it is.
Why this measurement?
Why we use 3 m
For comparison, this page uses overall spacecraft height. This is labelled approximate; the central value is useful for comparison, while real values or measurement solutions can vary. The recorded range is 2.9 m to 3.1 m.
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe is approximately 3 m high with a 2.3 m heat-shield diameter and had a launch mass of about 685 kg. The deployed solar arrays and instrument appendages do not define the calibrated height.
The marked vertical span follows the named feature; transparent margins and unmeasured details do not alter it. How calibrated comparisons work →
Recorded properties
Parker Solar Probe dimensions and measurements
| Property | Selected value | Recorded range | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 m | 2.9 m to 3.1 m | approximate | |
| 685 kg | 680 kg to 690 kg | approximate |
Around this scale
Go smaller. Go bigger.
These links use compatible length records, ordered around the selected value.
Nearest lower value · SpaceNew Horizons spacecraft2.2 mNew Horizons is a NASA spacecraft launched to study Pluto and the Kuiper Belt, carrying scientific instruments and powered by a radioisotope generator.
Around the same scale · Everyday thingsLiving-room rug3 mA living-room rug is a large textile floor covering used to add comfort and style to a room.
Nearest higher value · SpaceGaia spacecraft3.5 mGaia is a European Space Agency observatory designed to map the positions and motions of stars in the Milky Way.Sources and method
Want to check the number?
The source records and measurement method remain available for inspection.
- NASA — Parker Solar Probe missionSpacecraft mission, launch mass and heat-shield context.
There’s always another scale
Follow your curiosity.
SpaceNew Horizons spacecraft2.2 mNew Horizons is a NASA spacecraft launched to study Pluto and the Kuiper Belt, carrying scientific instruments and powered by a radioisotope generator.
SpaceSun1,391,000 kmThe Sun is the star at the centre of the Solar System.
SportTable tennis table2.74 mA table tennis table is a flat, rectangular surface divided by a net for playing the game of table tennis.
Living thingsAndean condor3.1 mThe Andean condor is a large vulture found in South America, notable for its broad wings and soaring flight.
TransportApollo command module3.23 mThe Apollo command module was the conical spacecraft section that housed astronauts during NASA's Apollo lunar missions and re-entered Earth's atmosphere.SpaceGaia spacecraft3.5 mGaia is a European Space Agency observatory designed to map the positions and motions of stars in the Milky Way.Everyday thingsLiving-room rug3 mA living-room rug is a large textile floor covering used to add comfort and style to a room.
Built worldBuilding storey3 mA building storey is a single level of a structure between two floors or a floor and a ceiling.