Nasa spacecraft breaks record for coming closest to Sun

Parker Solar Probe launched in August on a mission to protect Earth by unveiling the mysteries of solar storms

epa07130156 A handout photo made available by NASA on 29 October 2018 shows the view from Parker Solar Probe (PSP)'s WISPR instrument of Earth (the bright sphere near the middle of the right-hand panel), taken on 25 September 2018. The PSP captured a view of Earth as it sped toward the first Venus gravity assist of the mission. In the image, the elongated mark toward the bottom of the panel is a lens reflection from the WISPR instrument. The PSP is humanity's closest-ever mission into a part of the Sun's atmosphere called the corona. NASA announced on 29 October 2018, that the PSP held the record for closest approach to the Sun by a human-made object. The spacecraft passed the current record of 26.55 million miles from the Sun's surface on 29 October 2018, at about 1:04 p.m. EDT. EPA/NASA/Naval Research Laboratory/Parker Solar Probe HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

A Nasa photo shows the view from the Parker Solar Probe of Earth (the bright sphere near the middle of the right-hand panel)

Agence France Presse

Oct 30, 2018

Nasa’s Parker Solar Probe, which launched earlier this year, has set a new record for becoming the closest human-made object to the Sun, the US space agency announced on Monday.

“The spacecraft passed the current record of 26.55 million miles (42.73 million kilometres) from the Sun's surface on October 29, 2018, at about 1.04pm EDT (1704 GMT),” said a Nasa statement.

“The previous record for closest solar approach was set by the German-American Helios 2 spacecraft in April 1976.”

The $1.5 billion unmanned spacecraft launched in August, on a strategic mission to protect the Earth by unveiling the mysteries of dangerous solar storms.

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Its goal is to make a series of 24 flybys past our scorching star.

Another record is in sight for the Parker Solar Probe.

Parker's first close encounter with the Sun is scheduled for October 31.

Its final close approach – coming just 6.1 million km from the Sun's surface – is expected in 2024, NASA said.