For the first time, a spacecraft has reached so close to the Sun, the blazing star at the center of our solar system. NASA's spacecraft, the Parker Solar Probe, has successfully approached within 3.8 million miles of the Sun on Friday, December 27, without sustaining any damage. According to reports from BBC and Euronews, NASA stated that the spacecraft sent back an 'optical signal' after getting this close to the Sun.

The Parker Solar Probe sent this signal from just 6 million kilometers (about 3.8 million miles) from the Sun's surface. The probe is operated from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, USA, where NASA scientists received the optical signal.

NASA scientists had launched the Parker Solar Probe in 2018 to get a close-up view of the Sun. On Tuesday, December 24, the probe began its journey toward the Sun, traveling at nearly 430,000 miles per hour. By 7:00 AM Washington time on Friday, the spacecraft passed 6 million kilometers from the Sun's surface. During this journey, the spacecraft had to endure temperatures as high as 1,800°F or 941°C.

Researchers expect that the Parker Solar Probe will approach the Sun two more times. The spacecraft is set to send detailed data about its latest findings on January 1. This is the first time in history that any spacecraft has gotten so close to our solar system’s star.

The spacecraft is named after physicist Eugene Parker. It was launched into space for a seven-year mission in August 2018. The Parker Solar Probe’s close approach to the Sun will allow scientists to gather new data, offering insight into the Sun's hot outer regions and the origin of the solar wind.