NASA's Parker Solar Probe has survived an up-close encounter with the sun, officially coming closer to the fiery star than any other spacecraft before it.
The record-breaking solar approach took place Tuesday on Christmas Eve, but it wasn't until Thursday that NASA officially got word from the uncrewed vehicle that the flyby was a success, the space agency said in a news release. Two days after the probe zipped within 3.8 million miles of the sun, it managed to transmit a beacon back to Earth indicating that it remains in good health and is operating as expected, NASA said.
The historic milestone is one NASA has been building toward ever since the Parker Solar Probe embarked in 2018 on a mission to study the sun's outer atmosphere.
What is the Parker Solar Probe?
The Parker Solar Probe was launched Aug. 12, 2018 with the mission of coming within 4 million miles of the sun's surface to study the formation of the solar wind.
The spacecraft is designed to endure temperatures of up to 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit as it flies through the sun's elusive outermost layer, known as the corona. Nearly 10 feet tall and powered by a pair of solar arrays, the spacecraft and instruments are protected from the sun's heat by a 4.5-inch-thick carbon-composite shield.
During its mission, Parker is providing data that could help scientists to forecast space-weather events that reach Earth.
Will the Parker Solar Probe approach the sun again?
While the spacecraft is due to make two more flybys of the sun in 2025, its approach Tuesday will be its closest of all its 24 scheduled orbits.
Parker's final two close approaches will be March 22 and June 19, 2025.
Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com
