NASA spacecraft Park-ers itself closest to the sun

The Parker Solar Probe was launched on August 12. Pic/NASA

NASA's Parker Solar Probe, mankind's first mission to 'touch' the Sun, has set a new record for closest approach to the Sun by a human-made object, the US space agency announced.

The Parker Solar Probe was launched on August 12 this year on an unprecedented, seven-year long journey to unlock the mysteries of the Sun's fiery outer atmosphere and its effects on space weather. The spacecraft passed the current record of 26.55 million miles from the Sun's surface on October 29 as calculated by the Parker Solar Probe team.

As the Parker Solar Probe mission progresses, the spacecraft will repeatedly break its own records, with a final close approach of 3.83 million miles from the Sun's surface expected in 2024, it said.

"It's been just 78 days since Parker Solar Probe launched, and we've now come closer to our star than any other spacecraft in history," said Project Manager Andy Driesman. "It's a proud moment for the team, though we remain focused on our first solar encounter, which begins on October 31," Driesman said.

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