Record #00004Space archive
Fastest Speed Reached by a Human-Made Object
NASA's Parker Solar Probe hurtled through the solar atmosphere at about 430,000 miles per hour while making its record closest approach to the Sun on 24 December 2024 — faster than any human-made object has ever moved.
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Current Record
about430,000mph
Current record value
- Holder
- Parker Solar Probe
- Location
- —
- Start date
- 2024-12-24
- Record status
- VerifiedView verification details ↗Report an issue
Overview
Archive NoteParker Solar Probe launched on 12 August 2018 and used seven Venus gravity assists to tighten its orbit, reaching its optimal orbit after the final Venus flyby on 6 November 2024.
At its 24 December 2024 perihelion the spacecraft came within about 3.8 million miles (about 6.1 million kilometres) of the solar surface, the closest any spacecraft has come to the Sun.
The speed follows from orbital mechanics: the closer the spacecraft is to the Sun, the more gravitational potential energy is converted into kinetic energy, so perihelion is the peak-speed point.
Record history
1 Milestones- about 430,000 mphParker Solar ProbeCurrent Record
Sources
Evidence & ReferencesVerification basis and limitations
VerifiedThe record conclusion has sufficient verification support.
Verification explanation pending
- Last editorial review
- 2026-09-23
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