What is Voyager: Definition and 40 Discussions

The Voyager program is an ongoing American scientific program that employs two robotic Interstellar probes, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2. They were launched in 1977 to take advantage of a favorable alignment of Jupiter and Saturn, to fly near them while collecting data for transmission back to Earth. After launch the decision was taken to additionally send Voyager 2 near Uranus and Neptune to collect data for transmission back to Earth.As of 2021, the two Voyagers are still in operation past the outer boundary of the heliosphere in interstellar space. They both continue to collect and transmit useful data to Earth.

Voyager did things no one predicted, found scenes no one expected, and promises to outlive its inventors. Like a great painting or an abiding institution, it has acquired an existence of its own, a destiny beyond the grasp of its handlers.
As of 2021, Voyager 1 was moving with a velocity of 61,045 kilometers per hour (37,932 mph) relative to the Sun, and was 22,676,000,000 kilometers (1.4090×1010 mi) from the Sun reaching at a distance of 152.6 AU (22.8 billion km; 14.2 billion mi) from Earth as of April 24, 2021.As of 2021, Voyager 2 was moving with a velocity of 55,150 kilometers per hour (34,270 mph) relative to the Sun, and was 18,980,000,000 kilometers (1.179×1010 mi) from the Sun reaching at a distance of 126.9 AU (19.0 billion km; 11.8 billion mi) from Earth as of April 24, 2021.On 25 August 2012, data from Voyager 1 indicated that it had entered interstellar space.On 5 November 2019, data from Voyager 2 indicated that it also had entered interstellar space. On 4 November 2019, scientists reported that, on 5 November 2018, the Voyager 2 probe had officially reached the interstellar medium (ISM), a region of outer space beyond the influence of the solar wind, and has now joined the Voyager 1 probe which had reached the ISM earlier in 2012.Although the Voyagers have moved beyond the influence of the solar wind, they still have a long way to go before exiting the Solar System. NASA indicates "f we define our solar system as the Sun and everything that primarily orbits the Sun, Voyager 1 will remain within the confines of the solar system until it emerges from the Oort cloud in another 14,000 to 28,000 years."Data and photographs collected by the Voyagers' cameras, magnetometers and other instruments revealed unknown details about each of the four giant planets and their moons. Close-up images from the spacecraft charted Jupiter's complex cloud forms, winds and storm systems and discovered volcanic activity on its moon Io. Saturn's rings were found to have enigmatic braids, kinks and spokes and to be accompanied by myriad "ringlets".
At Uranus, Voyager 2 discovered a substantial magnetic field around the planet and ten more moons. Its flyby of Neptune uncovered three rings and six hitherto unknown moons, a planetary magnetic field and complex, widely distributed auroras. As of 2021 Voyager 2 is the only spacecraft to have visited the ice giants Uranus and Neptune.
In August 2018, NASA confirmed, based on results by the New Horizons spacecraft, the existence of a "hydrogen wall" at the outer edges of the Solar System that was first detected in 1992 by the two Voyager spacecraft.The Voyager spacecraft were built at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California and funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which also financed their launches from Cape Canaveral, Florida, their tracking and everything else concerning the probes.
The cost of the original program was $865 million, with the later-added Voyager Interstellar Mission costing an extra $30 million.

View More On Wikipedia.org
  1. T

    I Voyager I and Voyager II informative video

    13 minutes of background and findings by the Voyager spacecraft s, at the popular level. Rather well done. Cheers, Tom
  2. T

    I Voyager Spacecraft beginning to Power Down

    An interesting article on some of the history of, and discoveries by, the 44+ year old Voyager spacecraft s. The bean counters originally planned a 4 year mission for Voyagers 1&2. However, the scientists and engineers involved saw a golden opportunity that wouldn't repeat for another 176...
  3. A

    I Questions about the Voyager spacecraft

    Is there a possibility of a celestial body colliding with the Voyager spacecraft ? Is there an alternative to the Voyager that runs faster and faster? For example, at a speed of 100 kilometers per second
  4. alan123hk

    Interstellar Spacecraft Voyager 1

    The interstellar spacecraft Voyager 1 was launched in 1977 and left the solar system to reach the endless interstellar space in 2012. It is now 2021. Voyager 1 has been sailing in space for 44 years. Why does it still have energy to send electromagnetic signals back to the earth? What does...
  5. wolram

    B Exploring Interstellar Space: What Voyager 2 Has Taught Us

    With voyager 2 now going to interstella space what have we learned?
  6. S

    I Were paths of Voyager craft lucky to get out of the heliosphere?

    I was looking at this article about the craft, and it seems to be that had the craft been sent in the other direction, it would still be within the heliosphere, but instead had a fortunate path to where the heliosphere was small. What I mean by "lucky" is that the planets just happened to be...
  7. S

    I Calculate Voyager trajectory using JPL data

    Hey everyone, I've recently programmed an animated simulation of the main elements (core planets and Sun) of our solar system: by using the initial coordinates from the JPL database, and then calculating the combined gravitational perturbations and the relativistic effects from the Sun...
  8. Z

    I How far out are the probes that were sent out

    I haven't seen any posts about it but I am curious to know how far are the probes from Earth... Voyager 1 Voyager 2 Pioneer 10 Pioneer 11 Do they have any chance of colliding with an object?
  9. L

    B Voyager 2's Direction & Journey Through Space

    I've been reading that Voyager 2 is scheduled to pass by Sirius in about 300,000 years. Other sources state it is destined to orbit the Milky Way for billions of years. I don't understand how it can be headed toward a specific direction and orbiting the center of the galaxy at the same time.
  10. Lars Hansen

    B Voyager 1: How Long Can We Communicate?

    For how long will we still be able to communicate with the amazing Voyager 1?
  11. T

    B Voyager 1 - image of 'Pale Blue Dot'

    Please could someone explain why Earth looks to bright when it is so far away? Also, why can't we see any other objects (other planets and stars) in the image? Thank you.
  12. Alltimegreat1

    What is the current status of Voyager 1's attitude and control system?

    From what I can gather, Voyager 1 is headed in the direction of Sagittarius and the center of the Milky Way. Will Voyager 1 eventually get sucked into the black hole at the center? Furthermore, where is the Earth within the Milky Way in terms of up/down? The galaxy is 1,000 LY thick, but how...
  13. Rob Haskell

    Is Voyager 40k years from a star?

    Greetings! I read this article on line, where it states that Voyager 1 has an appointment with a star, AC +79 3888, which is 17.6 light years away, in 40,000 years. However, if voyager is traveling at 35,000 mph, that number seems off. Shouldn't it be 319,000 years to travel that distance? I'm...
  14. Bumpeh

    I want to work with NASA Spacecraft like Voyager

    So, I did a little searching around on these forums before I posted this, and I do see lots of threads about working for NASA but not something about my specific situation. I'm currently attending a college working on my AA. After that, I'm probably going to transfer to a University, where I'll...
  15. A

    Voyager Golden Records - Exploring Beyond Earth

    The Voyager Golden Records are phonograph records which were included aboard both Voyager spacecraft , which were launched in 1977. My question is will be good enough now, won't the radiation damage the CD, can it be read, if at all it reaches some ET Arun
  16. Bandersnatch

    Forum game: Finding the Golden Record

    Remember Voyagers? Travelling through the endless void of space, carrying the species-scale equivalent of teenage poetry etched onto what is called the Golden Record. Full of naive hope and good intentions, cute to think of, but increasingly embarrassing to look at, it was sent in an...
  17. M

    Discover the Best Star Trek Voyager Stories with Capt Janeway and 7 of 9

    IMHO, the best stories, Watched all of the Capt Jean Luc Picard and sometimes fell asleep. Never a dull moment with Capt Janeway. And they have 7 of 9 who has a great figure. Love her acting! Better physician on board. Tuvok as good as Spock. Chapters are almost always related.
  18. N

    Voyager: at edge of our solar system

    Still going after 36 years. Voyager surfs Solar System's edge By Jonathan Amos Science correspondent, BBC News http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-23075332
  19. E

    Voyager Probes: Longevity in the Void of Interstellar Space

    Hi there. Just been reading about Voyager 1 and it's current progress. Wow. Totally incredible. I mean this is seriously a contender for mankind's greatest feat of science and engineering, isn't it? Anyway. I want to read more and in a book - not on the internet. Can anyone recommend a...
  20. dlgoff

    Congratulations Voyager 1

    She's 35 years old today. So where is she now?
  21. B

    Ladies and Gentlemen Voyager 1 Has Left the Solar System

    Per NASA's press release ( http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/voyager/voyager20120614.html ) of 14 June 2012, interstellar cosmic rays are striking the spacecraft at an increased rate. Voyager 1 has already encountered solar wind moving laterally with respect to the solar surface, and even in...
  22. L

    Units used on Voyager golden record

    I would like to understand how units of distance, time and mass are defined on the golden record on Voyager spacecraft . I suppose the units are similar to natural units (speed of light=Planck constant=1), except that the basic unit is not GeV: The unit of energy is the energy...
  23. A

    Voyager probes and time dilation

    The Voyager probes are traveling at non-relativistic speeds, at the edge of the solar system where the gravitational field is about 0 so we could consider them a rest frame. If so, from my calculations using the formula for time dilation: \tau(t) = \frac{c}{g} \operatorname {arsinh} \left(...
  24. B

    Light Speed and Voyager Space Probes: A Reflection

    I just want to make sure I understand this clearly. Light travels at 186 000 miles/second right? So if something was 10 light years away would that mean that it would take 10 years going at the speed of light to get there? Wouldnt it be possible to make a probe go even half that speed? I don't...
  25. P

    Voyager 2 Hijacked: Fact or Fiction?

    Voyager 2 Hijacked!(on news) How is this possible? is this real http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/7722455/Aliens-hijack-Nasas-Voyager-2- spacecraft -claims-expert.html [Broken]
  26. edpell

    Voyager & Newton: Orbits and Mechanics Questions

    I seem to remember hearing that there is some question about the orbits of the voyager spacecraft and weather they obey Newtonian mechanics exactly. Can someone please fill me in on the details? Thanks.
  27. B

    Acceleration of voyager spacecraft

    Could the anomalous acceleration of the voyager spacecraft towards the sun be explained by its surface becoming electrically charged by friction with dust particles and the interaction of the electric charges with the sun's magnetic field?
  28. B

    Will voyager 1 or 2 pass the heliopause

    will either of the voyager probes pass the heliopause before they run out of power. if so when will it happen?
  29. E

    Are Voyager 1 and 2 Still Sending Data Back to Earth?

    I heard that we are still receiving data from the voyager missions. Are the results available publicly? If so, where can I find the latest photos?
  30. Z

    Spacecraft Voyager 2 collision

    Spacecraft Voyager 2 (of mass m and speed v relative to the Sun) approaches the planet Jupiter (of mass M and speed V relative to the Sun) as shown in Fig. 10-60. The spacecraft rounds the planet and departs in the opposite direction. What is its speed, relative to the Sun, after this...
  31. S

    Voyager 2 Detects Odd Shape of Solar System's Edge

    http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/060523_heliosphere_shape.html So if it does get will we still have contact with it
  32. A

    Speed of Voyager 2 after slingshot encounter?

    Voyager 2 used a slingshot maneuver to approach Saturn and then move off in the opposite direction.Voyager 2 approached Saturn with a velocity of 12 Kms^-1. (relative to the sun). The orbital speed of Saturn is 13 Kms&-1. The question is what was Voyager 2's speed after the slingshot encounter...
  33. P

    FYI - online petition to keep Voyager & Hubble programs going

    http://www.planetary.org/voyager_hubble/ [Broken]
  34. Pengwuino

    Voyager Exits Solar System: Shockwave-ish Lines Explained

    Someone posted this in another forum... http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0206/heliosphere_pc_big.jpg Its suppose to depict the voyager spacecraft exiting the solar system but i was wondering... what are those shockwave-ish lines suppose to represent? I mean there's nothing out...
  35. Mk

    Voyager 1 at the heliosheath

    http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Voyager_1_enters_heliosheath_at_edge_of_solar_system The Voyager 1 spacecraft , launched in 1977 to explore the planets, is now agreed by scientists to have entered the heliosheath at the edge of the solar system 8.7 billion miles (14 billion kilometers) from the...
  36. D

    How much energy would voyager sat. need to transmit data from pluto?

    if it transmits and shuts off its transmitter, would the signal still be traveling towards earth?
  37. Loren Booda

    Extraterrestrials to clone Voyager engineer

    The first human to surpass our galaxy may be in the form of DNA panspermia - either accidentally or on purpose - from those who worked on Voyager. What outcome would such a clone bring aliens: disease, science, savior, slave or peer?
  38. O

    Voyager: How Did They Navigate Unknown Worlds?

    Something struck me as confusing, and I'm sure it's just that I don't have enough information yet. The Voyager mission found MANY surprises in the planets they studied. In fact, it seems they were wrong about more than they were right about, not to mention all they found out that they simply...
  39. B

    Voyager the real Time Machine.

    Voyager the real time machine have we received a message yet? Would you know how to find the massage if it was here? I will return to finish this. http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/ spacecraft /goldenrec.html Many Thanks, Dj Blair Styles. 11:11
  40. R

    Which Voyager spacecraft traveled further: 1 or 2?

    Which spacecraft is further? i know 1 of the spacecraft hit Jupiter a year later. and then went onto neptune. what i don't get is that they say when you get as far as neptune that is our solar system, we still have pluto and its moon charon in our solar system, yeah its far and it has been...
Back
Top