In fact, the record-breaking spacecraft completed its closest approach yet to the blazing ball of plasma in June, coming within just 5.3 million miles (8.3 million kilometers) of the solar surface. To reach these incredible milestones, Parker gets by with a little help from its friends. Well, one friend: Venus.
NASA says Parker is on track to make its sixth and closest flyby of Venus on Aug. 21, thanks to some precise maneuvering that took place on Aug. 3. The goal is for the probe to use the amber-hued planet's gravity to tighten its orbit around the sun — a technique Parker has been employing repeatedly during its mission, which began with a launch on Aug. 12, 2018. If all goes well with this Venusian approach, Parker will come within about 4.5 million miles (7.2 million km) of the solar surface on Sept. 27.
Source: www.space.com
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