NASA’s Parker Solar Probe just took its closest pass to the Sun yet, veering so close that it “touched” the star’s blisteringly hot outer atmosphere — and gave NASA an unprecedented firsthand look at it.

The car-sized spacecraft has zoomed past the Sun a few times now, veering closer and closer each time, according to CNET. Each time, it uses nearby Venus’ gravitational pull as a sort of slingshot that helps it travel closer to the Sun and propels it at higher and higher speeds each time.

The slingshot is working so well that the space probe broke two records during its most recent solar approach last week.