Voyager 1

Active

Humanity's most distant spacecraft and first human-made object to enter interstellar space. After revolutionary flybys of Jupiter and Saturn, Voyager 1 continues its eternal journey carrying the Golden Record - a message from Earth to the cosmos.

Type

Deep Space Probe

Launch Date

September 5, 1977

Location

Interstellar Space

Latest Scientific Discovery

Live Mission Data

Deep Space Communication

Distance from Earth

25.1 billion km from Earth

Signal Travel Time

One-way: ~23 hours

Mission Duration

47+ years operational

Mission Achievements

✓First spacecraft to enter interstellar space (August 25, 2012)
✓Most distant human-made object from Earth
✓Discovered active volcanoes on Io (Jupiter's moon) - first beyond Earth
✓Discovered Jupiter's complex ring system
✓Detailed images of Saturn's rings revealing intricate structure
✓First close-up images of Titan showing thick atmosphere
✓Operating for over 47 years - longest operating spacecraft
✓Traveled over 25 billion kilometers from Earth
✓Confirmed the heliopause boundary at 121 AU from the Sun

Mission Timeline

Mission Timeline & Milestones

Sep 5, 1977

Launch

Launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida

Mar 5, 1979

Jupiter Encounter

Closest approach to Jupiter, discovered volcanic activity on Io

Nov 12, 1980

Saturn Encounter

Detailed study of Saturn, its rings, and moons

Feb 14, 1990

Pale Blue Dot

Took famous photo of Earth from 6 billion km away

Feb 17, 1998

Most Distant Spacecraft

Overtook Pioneer 10 as most distant human-made object

Dec 16, 2004

Termination Shock

Crossed the termination shock at 94 AU from Sun

Aug 25, 2012

Entered Interstellar Space

First human-made object to leave the heliosphere

Nov 28, 2017

Thrusters Reactivated

Fired backup thrusters for first time in 37 years

2025 (Est)

Power Depletion

Expected to lose power for communications

Mission Objectives

▸Complete the Grand Tour of the outer planets
▸Study Jupiter and Saturn systems in detail
▸Investigate the boundary of the solar system
▸Explore the interstellar medium
▸Carry humanity's message via the Golden Record
▸Study cosmic rays and magnetic fields in interstellar space
▸Continue transmitting data as long as power permits (until ~2025)

Scientific Instruments

•Cosmic Ray Subsystem (CRS): Measures high-energy particles
•Low-Energy Charged Particle (LECP): Detects ions and electrons
•Magnetometer (MAG): Measures magnetic field strength and direction
•Plasma Wave System (PWS): Detects plasma wave emissions
•Cameras (disabled): Took over 67,000 images including the famous "Pale Blue Dot"
•Golden Record: 12-inch gold-plated copper disk with sounds and images from Earth