The Parker Solar Probe spacecraft got closer than ever to the Sun to study its atmosphere.

The US space agency’s (NASA) unmanned spacecraft began a seven-year mission in August 2018 to uncover the secrets of the Sun – for example, solar storms that impact our communications.

On Tuesday, at 13:53 (local time), the Parker Solar Probe passed within 6.2 million kilometers of the Sun’s surface, closer than any other spacecraft in the past.

Researcher Arik Posner, who is part of the mission’s science team, made no secret of his eagerness to receive the first briefing from the spacecraft in order to gather data and draw conclusions. It’s a “bold mission” for NASA, a historic “achievement” aimed at “answering long-standing questions” about the universe, he explains.

NASA staff temporarily lost communication with the spacecraft, expecting to receive a signal on Friday. During its approach to the Sun, the Parker Solar Probe will be traveling at 690,000 mph – which would allow it to get from Tokyo to Washington, D.C., in less than a minute. Its heat shield is designed to withstand extreme temperatures of 870-930 degrees Celsius.

If all goes according to the original plan, the Parker Solar Probe will attempt two more approaches to the Sun to collect scientific data: on March 22 and June 19, 2025.