This article was originally published in English
Scientists hope that the data provided by Parker will help them better understand how the Sun works.
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NASA’s Parker solar probe has managed to get as close as possible to the Sun, the space agency has confirmed.
Earlier this week, the probe passed at a record distance of nearly six million kilometers from the star located at the center of the solar system.
NASA received a message from Parker late Thursday night, confirming that she had survived the trip.
Launched in 2018 to observe the Sun up close, Parker has since passed through its outer atmosphere, the corona.
After having closely grazed the Sun, the probe should circle it at least until September.
Parker is the fastest probe ever built by man and reached a speed of 690,000 km/h during its closest pass to the Sun.
It is equipped with a heat shield capable of withstanding temperatures of up to 1,370 degrees Celsius.
Scientists hope the data Parker provides will help them better understand why the Sun’s outer atmosphere is hundreds of times hotter than its surface and what powers the solar wind, the supersonic stream of charged particles that constantly drifts away of the Sun.
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