BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder are already reaping the fruits of their participation in an ongoing space mission that is traveling faster and sailing closer to the sun than any spacecraft has traveled before.

Known as the Parker Solar Probe, the spacecraft has already completed three of 24 orbits around the sun, where it will have covered 96% of the distance from the Earth to the sun at the conclusion of its prime mission in 2025 — if it makes it that far.

Launched Aug. 12, 2018, the Parker Solar Probe's four-instrument suite includes what is known as th...