NASA’s Parker Solar Probe transmitted positive data on New Year’s Day, confirming its systems and instruments are operating normally after its historic flyby of the sun.

On December 26, the probe successfully approached within 3.8 million miles of the sun, breaking records for both proximity and speed, reaching 430,000 mph.

The spacecraft’s heat shield protected it from extreme temperatures, allowing it to collect valuable scientific data.

The mission aims to solve solar mysteries, like why the sun’s outer atmosphere is so much hotter than its surface, Space.com has reported.

Parker will continue its observations with two more flybys planned for 2025.

Written by B.C. Begley