Launched in 2018, the Parker Solar Probe is a NASA mission designed to study the Sun's outer atmosphere, known as the corona, and the mechanisms behind its heating and acceleration of the solar wind. The probe uses a combination of gravitational assists from Venus and solar radiation pressure to achieve extremely high speeds as it dives close to the Sun.
During its eighth close approach to the Sun, the Parker Solar Probe broke its own record for the fastest speed achieved by a human-made spacecraft. The spacecraft reached a speed of approximately 213,200 miles per hour (343,000 kilometers per hour) as it passed within 8.5 million miles (13.7 million kilometers) of the Sun's surface.
The high speeds achieved by the Parker Solar Probe are essential for its scientific objectives. By traveling at these speeds, the spacecraft can get close enough to the Sun to study the corona in unprecedented detail and gain insights into the fundamental processes that shape the Sun's behavior and its influence on the heliosphere.
