NASA spacecraft becomes the closest human-made object to Sun

NASA's Parker Solar Probe on Monday became the closest human-made object to the Sun, surpassing the closest approach of 42.72 million kilometres set by German-American Helios 2 spacecraft in April 1976. Launched on August 12, Parker Solar Probe also broke Helios 2's record for fastest spacecraft travelling relative to the Sun which had reached a heliocentric speed of 246,960 kmph.