NASA announced Friday that it received a signal from the Parker Solar Probe, confirming that the spacecraft survived its closest approach to the sun to date. This approach reached just 3.8 million miles from the surface, passing through the Sun’s corona and allowing unprecedented data collection close to the star. Millions of miles may seem like a long distance, but to put things into perspective, NASA explains: It’s only 4 yards from the end zone. ”
The spacecraft’s current orbit brings it closest to the sun about every three months. The spacecraft is scheduled to orbit for two more flybys in 2025, on March 22 and June 19. The spacecraft is expected to send back data from its latest approach soon once it reaches a better location. “The data coming down from the spacecraft will provide fresh information about places we have never been before,” said Joe Westlake, head of NASA’s solar physics division. “That’s a great accomplishment.”
