NASA Awaits Signal From Parker Solar Probe After Historic Sun Encounter

The probe, which ventured closer to the Sun than any human-made object in history, is expected to confirm its status on December 27.

NASA's Parker Solar Probe set a record on December 24, 2024, by coming within 3.86 million miles of the Sun's surface, the closest approach ever made by a spacecraft.
The probe traveled at an unprecedented speed of 430,000 mph during its journey through the Sun's outer atmosphere, known as the corona.
Communication with the spacecraft is temporarily unavailable due to its position behind the Sun and the intense heat and radiation during its close pass, a scenario anticipated by mission planners.
A beacon tone from the probe, expected on December 27, will confirm its survival and operational status following its extreme encounter with the Sun.
The Parker Solar Probe's mission aims to provide groundbreaking data on solar processes, space weather, and fundamental physics, with additional close passes scheduled for March and June 2025.