This past week, the probe reached a record distance of just 6 million kilometers from the surface of the Sun, a distance never before recorded. On December 27, NASA announced that it had received a signal confirming that Parker had safely completed the challenging journey.
Launched in 2018, the Parker Solar Probe is on a mission to observe the Sun from close range. Since then, it has flown through the corona, the outermost layer that resembles the Sun's crown.
During this journey, the Parker probe reached an impressive speed of 690,000 km/h at its closest point to the Sun. This is the fastest speed ever achieved by a man-made device. To withstand the extreme heat of the Sun, the spacecraft is equipped with a special heat shield that can withstand temperatures of up to 1,370 degrees Celsius.
After completing its historic mission, the Parker spacecraft is expected to continue orbiting the Sun at this distance until at least September next year, continuing to collect important data for research.
