NASA’s Parker Solar Probe successfully completed its historic achievement on December 24, reaching a record-breaking 3.86 million miles from the sun’s surface. The spacecraft is currently inside the sun’s corona, studying its mysteriously hot outer atmosphere.
After a three-day silence, the probe will send a beacon tone on December 27 to confirm it has survived the extreme environment. Its robust heat shield is expected to protect its instruments.
The close pass was planned as part of the spacecraft’s autonomous design, which allows it to operate for nearly two months without human intervention. The probe is traveling at 430,000 mph, making it the fastest-human made object.
Two more close passes are scheduled for March 22 and June 19, 2025, bringing the spacecraft within 4% of the Earth-sun distance. NASA officials express excitement to receive the first status update from Parker and start receiving science data in the coming weeks.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2024/12/25/world-holds-its-breath-as-nasas-sun-touching-spacecraft-remains-out-of-contact