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NASA sent its Parker Solar Probe just 3.8 million miles from the surface of the Sun \u2014 and it survived. The probe transmitted a signal back to Earth on the night of December 26th, \u201cindicating it\u2019s in good health and operating normally,\u201d according to NASA<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The mission marks the closest the Parker Solar Probe \u2014 or any human-man object at all \u2014 has ever gotten to the Sun. The probe set off on its mission on December 20th<\/a>, with the closest approach occurring on December 24th as it flew 430,000 miles per hour past the solar surface. Mission operations were out of contact with the probe during this time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Now that NASA has confirmation of the mission\u2019s success, it expects the Parker Solar Probe to send \u201cdetailed telemetry data on its status\u201d on January 1st. The close flyby is supposed to help scientists get a better understanding of solar wind, the Sun\u2019s heat, and how \u201cenergetic particles are accelerated to near light speed.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n