It had already swept past the Sun 21 times, getting ever nearer, but the Christmas Eve visit was record-breaking. At its closest approach ... from the immense gravitational pull it felt as it fell ...

NASA is getting up close and personal with the Sun. On Christmas Eve the Parker Solar Probe flew closer to the Sun than any spacecraft, orbiting 10 times closer than the planet Mercury.

Although the probe is scheduled to orbit the sun two more times, this mission marks the closest it will ever get. The next planned close solar passes are expected to take place March 22 and June ...