NASA’s Parker Solar Probe achieved a breakthrough on Thursday, completing its 25th flyby and reaching record speed near the Sun. The spacecraft touched 687,000 km/h, fast enough to cover New Delhi–New York in just one minute. Despite losing contact briefly, it regained communication and continues revealing mysteries of the Sun.

BulletsIn

• Parker Solar Probe completes 25th flyby near Sun
• Achieves 687,000 km/h speed, equals earlier records
• Covers Delhi–New York distance in 61 seconds at speed
• Lost contact with Earth, later reconnected with NASA
• Probe operates autonomously during signal loss
• Launched in 2018 under “Living With a Star” program
• Purpose: study origin of solar wind, plasma clouds
• Seeks why Sun’s outer atmosphere hotter than surface
• Discoveries aid protection of astronauts, satellites, flights
• Also helps safeguard Earth’s power grids from solar storms