NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, which was designed to get an up-close look at the sun’s outer corona, has just tied the record for the fastest-moving man-made object ever.
The previous record holder? The Parker Solar Probe, again.
The probe was recorded traveling at 635,266 kilometers (394,736 miles) per hour on June 29, the second time this speed has been reached since its launch in 2018. We’re talking about 500 times faster than the speed of sound.
The device is expected to get even faster, with a top speed expected to reach 692,000 km/h (430,000 mph) when it makes its closest approach to the sun in 2025. That’s fast enough to travel from Washington DC to Tokyo in less than a minute.
Achieving these incredible speeds is all about timing and momentum. As the Parker Solar Probe orbits the sun, it will target the orbit of Venus, using the gravity of the moving planet to create a kind of gravity-powered slingshot.
The probe will eventually come very close to the swirling mass of ultra-hot plasma surrounding the Sun and make a wide variety of measurements to improve our scientific understanding of the plasma.
In April 2021, the probe “touched” our nearest star for the first time, collecting plasma samples and measuring changes in its magnetic field. The spacecraft is compiling an enormously valuable database that we can’t collect here on Earth — and as time-lapse footage released by NASA shows, it’s a spectacular flyby.
Parker has now completed its 20th close approach, coming within 7.26 million kilometers of the layer of ionized gas that is considered the sun’s surface. Eventually, it should come within 6.12 million kilometers.
And of course, the probe must be tough enough to withstand not only these incredible speeds, but also the incredible heat and radiation. The spacecraft’s protection includes a 4.5-inch (11.4-centimeter) carbon composite shield that can withstand temperatures of nearly 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,371 degrees Celsius).
It’s unlikely that the Parker Solar Probe will lose its title of fastest man-made object anytime soon. And if it does eventually break the record, it will likely be another spacecraft that takes the title.
At one point, the record was thought to be held by a core borehole cover, which was shot into space at an estimated speed of 150,000 miles per hour after the bomb was detonated underground.
Parker’s important scientific work continues as it continues its record-breaking journey. You can follow its progress on NASA’s official site.