On the heels of a NASA spacecraft's historic close flyby of the sun on Christmas Eve, scientists on Earth have one question on their minds: Did their probe survive as an epic Christmas gift, or is it a burned up lump of coal in space?

NASA's Parker Solar Probe flew closer to the sun than any human-made object ever — a stunning technological feat that scientists liken to the historic Apollo moon landing in 1969.

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe made a historic attempt to circle the sun at 6:53 a.m. EST on Tuesday, Christmas Eve, which, if successful, would be the closest-ever attempt to do so. The agency will remain out of contact with the spacecraft until Friday,

NASA's Parker Solar Space Probe is making history. It's gotten closer to the sun's atmosphere than any other humanmade object.

NASA's Parker Solar Probe has been breaking records since the day it launched as the fastest space mission in history. Now, six years after it embarked on its quest to study the Sun, Parker has set yet another record.

Travelling at speeds of up to 430,000 mph and withstanding temperatures of up to 982°C, the Parker Solar Probe is on a mission to "touch" the Sun.