NASA's Parker Solar Probe has once again achieved a record-setting close approach to the Sun, matching its previous milestone from December 2024. On March 22, 2025, the probe came within approximately 6.1 million kilometers (3.8 million miles) of the Sun's surface, traveling at a remarkable speed of 192 kilometers per second (about 430,000 miles per hour).
This daring maneuver brought Parker deep into the Sun's corona, the outer atmosphere, where temperatures soar to millions of degrees. The probe's heat shield successfully protected it from these extreme conditions, allowing it to collect valuable data on solar winds and magnetic fields.
Launched in 2018, the Parker Solar Probe's mission involves progressively closer orbits around the Sun to enhance our understanding of stellar phenomena. The March 22 flyby marked its 23rd close approach. Future perihelions are scheduled for June 19, September 15, and December 12, 2025.