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Nasa’s Parker Solar Probe survives close brush with sun’s scorching surface
Space agency confirmed probe had successfully made closest approach to sun. Craft is expected to circle sun until at least September
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Nasa’s Parker Solar Probe has successfully made the closest approach to the sun, the space agency confirmed on Friday.
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Earlier this week, the spacecraft passed within a record-breaking 3.8 million miles (6 million km) of the scorching star. Nasa received an all-clear message from Parker on Thursday night confirming it survived the journey.
Launched in 2018 to get a close-up look at the sun, Parker has since flown straight through its crownlike outer atmosphere, or corona.
With its close brush complete, the craft is expected to circle the sun at this distance until at least September.
It is the fastest spacecraft built by humans, and hit 430,000mph (690,000kph) at closest approach.
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It is outfitted with a heat shield that can withstand scorching temperatures up to 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,370 degrees Celsius).
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