Washington: NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has once again made history, achieving an unprecedented speed of 687,000 kilometers per hour (430,000 miles per hour) during its recent close approach to the Sun. This marks yet another milestone for the spacecraft, which continues to push the limits of human engineering while venturing deeper into the Sun’s outer atmosphere, the corona.
During its latest solar flyby, between September 10 and 20, 2025, the Parker Solar Probe maintained record-setting velocity while skimming the Sun’s scorching corona. Its extraordinary speed is largely enabled by precise gravity-assist maneuvers, particularly multiple Venus’s flybys, which have gradually adjusted the spacecraft’s orbit, allowing it to draw ever closer to the Sun. At this remarkable velocity, the probe could theoretically traverse the length of India from Kashmir to Kanyakumari in just 19 seconds, highlighting the unprecedented scale of its achievements.
Despite operating in an environment where temperatures soar into the millions of degrees Celsius and radiation levels are extreme, the Parker Solar Probe continues to perform flawlessly. NASA engineers confirmed that all onboard instruments are functioning within expected parameters, ensuring continuous collection of critical scientific data. The spacecraft’s robust heat shield and advanced thermal management systems have proven essential for surviving and thriving in conditions that would destroy ordinary spacecraft.
Launched in 2018, the Parker Solar Probe is the first human-made object designed to study the Sun from within its corona. Its mission is shedding unprecedented light on solar phenomena such as solar wind, flares, and coronal mass ejections, which can have profound effects on Earth, including disruptions to satellite communications, navigation systems, and power grids. The data collected by the probe is already transforming our understanding of space weather and is helping scientists develop predictive models critical for protecting modern technological infrastructure.
The Parker Solar Probe’s journey is far from over. With several more solar encounters planned over the coming years, the spacecraft is steadily approaching its ultimate goal: exploring the Sun’s inner corona at ever closer distances. Each successive flyby promises to deliver new insights into the behavior of the star that sustains life on Earth, providing knowledge that could revolutionize our understanding of the solar system and pave the way for future space exploration missions.
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe remains not just a triumph of engineering, but also a beacon of human curiosity and ambition, proving once again that the boundaries of exploration are limited only by our imagination and ingenuity.