As it completed its 23rd close flyby of the Sun, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe set a new record, becoming the closest and fastest man-made object in history.
The probe got within 3.8 million miles (6.1 million kilometres) of the Sun’s surface on March 22, 2025, during its perihelion, or closest approach, when it achieved an extraordinary record-breaking speed of 430,000 miles per hour (692,017 km/h). It has now reached such extreme conditions for the second time.
The spacecraft successfully contacted mission control at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Maryland after the flyby, verifying that it is still in excellent condition and is still sending vital data.
The Parker Solar Probe was launched in August 2018 with the goal of better understanding solar wind, magnetic fields, and space weather phenomena by investigating the Sun’s corona, or outer atmosphere.
It has a unique heat shield that can withstand temperatures of up to 2,500°F (1,377°C).
Scientists are solving questions like why the Sun’s corona is noticeably hotter than its surface thanks to the probe’s unparalleled observations into the solar wind and associated solar activity. Enhancing forecasts of space weather that may impact Earth depends on this data.
March 18 marked the start of the 23rd solar encounter, which will run through March 27. Over the course of seven years, the mission will include 24 planned close flybys, with the final approach taking place later in 2025.
The accomplishments of the Parker Solar Probe mark a significant advancement in solar science and provide priceless insights into the behaviour of our star and its effects on the solar system.
