Parker Solar Probe Completes Final Venus Flyby for Historic Sun Mission

NASA's Parker Solar Probe uses Venus gravity assist to set a record-breaking course for its closest approach to the sun.

The Parker Solar Probe executed its final Venus flyby, passing within 233 miles of the planet's surface to adjust its trajectory.
This maneuver positions the probe to come within 3.8 million miles of the sun on December 24, 2024, the closest any human-made object has approached the star.
During previous flybys, the probe's WISPR instrument captured images of Venus's surface, revealing unexpected details through the planet's thick clouds.
Scientists hope the latest flyby will provide new insights into Venus's surface composition and geological activity.
The mission, launched in 2018, aims to study solar phenomena by entering the sun's outer atmosphere, gathering unprecedented data on solar wind and plasma.