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

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SUMMARY

The Voyager spacecraft, specifically Voyager 1 and 2, successfully exited the heliosphere due to their fortunate trajectory, which aligned with a smaller region of the heliosphere. Had they been launched in a different direction, they would have remained within the heliosphere. The discussion highlights the variability in the heliosphere's shape and size, emphasizing that the planets' alignment played a crucial role in the spacecraft's path. Measurements from 2017 further support the notion that the heliosphere's dimensions are not as uniform as depicted in artistic representations.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of heliosphere dynamics
  • Familiarity with the Voyager missions (Voyager 1 and 2)
  • Basic knowledge of planetary alignment and its effects on space travel
  • Awareness of scientific measurement techniques in astrophysics
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the heliosphere's structure and its impact on interstellar travel
  • Explore the scientific findings from the Voyager missions
  • Investigate the role of planetary alignment in space mission planning
  • Study the measurements and data analysis techniques used in astrophysical research
USEFUL FOR

Astronomers, astrophysicists, space mission planners, and anyone interested in the dynamics of the heliosphere and the Voyager spacecraft's journey into interstellar space.

swampwiz
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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 aligned in the direction that would be on the short part of the heliosphere.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/...interstellar-solar-system-nasa-science-space/
Or perhaps the heliosphere really is a sphere, and this is just a bad picture of it?
 
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The distance does depend on the direction (Voyager 1 and 2 crossed the transition regions at different distances, too), but not nearly as dramatic as that artist's impression suggests.
Here are some measurements from 2017.
 
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