'Yay, we did it': NASA's spacecraft survives closest ever approach to sun

The Parker Solar Probe was launched in 2018 to get a close-up look at the sun.

This image made available by NASA shows an artist’s rendering of the Parker Solar Probe approaching the Sun. It’s designed to take solar punishment like never before, thanks to its revolutionary heat shield that’s capable of withstanding 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,370 degrees Celsius). (Photo | via AP)

NASA said on Friday that its Parker Solar Probe was "safe" and operating normally after successfully completing the closest-ever approach to the sun by any human-made object., according to reports.

Scientists received a signal from the Parker Solar Probe just before midnight EST on Thursday (05:00 GMT on Friday) after it had been out of communication for several days during its burning-hot fly-by, the BBC reported.

The Guardian quoted Dr Nicola Fox, Nasa’s head of science, as saying, “It is 3.8m miles from the sun’s surface. It is breaking all of these records and it’s a just a total ‘Yay, we did it!’ moment.”

The Parker Solar Probe was launched in 2018 to get a close-up look at the sun. Since then, it has flown straight through the sun’s corona: the outer atmosphere visible during a total solar eclipse.