Nasa spacecraft makes history with closest ever approach to the sun

A record-breaking trip to the Sun

Scientists confirmed they had received a signal from the Parker Solar Probe just before midnight EST on Thursday after it had been out of communication for several days during its scorching fly-by.

Nasa said the probe was operating normally and was safe after it passed just 3.8 million miles from the solar surface.

It entered the Sun’s outer atmosphere on Christmas Eve and experienced brutal temperatures and extreme radiation as it looked to help scientists better understand how the Sun works.

Nasa had not expected to receive a signal from the spacecraft until 05.00 GMT on December 28 but was relieved to receive that signal early.

The agency said: “This close-up study of the Sun allows Parker Solar Probe to take measurements that help scientists better understand how material in this region gets heated to millions of degrees, trace the origin of the solar wind (a continuous flow of material escaping the Sun), and discover how energetic particles are accelerated to near light speed.”

Moving at up to 430,000 mph (692,000 kph), the spacecraft endured temperatures of up to 1,800F (980C), according to the Nasa website.

Previously, Dr Nicola Fox, head of science at Nasa told the BBC: “For centuries, people have studied the Sun, but you don't experience the atmosphere of a place until you actually go [and] visit it.

“And so we can't really experience the atmosphere of our star unless we fly through it.”

Parker Solar Probe launched in 2018, heading to the centre of our solar system.

It had already swept past the Sun 21 times, getting ever nearer, but the Christmas Eve visit was record-breaking.

At its closest approach, the probe was 3.8 million miles (6.1 million km) from our star's surface.

The probe endured temperatures of 1,400C and radiation that could have frazzled the on-board electronics but was projected by an 11.5cm thick carbon-composite shield.