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| The Parker Solar Probe spacecraft has managed to get close to the Sun | Photo: NASA |
US space agency NASA spacecraft made history's closest-ever approach to the sun yesterday. The spacecraft is called the 'Parker Solar Probe'. No other spacecraft has been able to approach the sun so close before.
According to NASA, a 'light signal' from the probe has arrived at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, USA, from where the probe is being operated.
Parker Solar Probe began its journey toward the sun on Tuesday (December 24) at a speed of about 430,000 miles per hour. During this time, the probe had to endure temperatures of up to 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit (980 degrees Celsius). After overcoming these adversities, it finally managed to reach about 3.8 million miles closer to the sun's surface.
APL had lost contact with the spacecraft or probe since its launch on December 24. The spacecraft was programmed to send out a light signal if it successfully reached the expected point near the sun. This signal was what NASA scientists were eagerly waiting for.
The signal means the spacecraft is safe and operating properly. The spacecraft is expected to send detailed information about its latest status on January 1.
Parker Solar Probe's close approach to the Sun is expected to reveal new information about the star, helping scientists understand the extremely hot region around the Sun and identify the source of the solar wind.
By orbiting the region near the Sun multiple times, the spacecraft helped scientists understand the outer limits of the star's atmosphere.