Launched in 1977, the Voyager spacecraft have traveled farther from Earth than any human-made objects. Now in interstellar space, they continue to send back data that's rewriting our understanding of the cosmos.
Beyond the Solar System
Voyager 1 crossed into interstellar space in 2012, followed by Voyager 2 in 2018. The boundary turned out to be different than expectedâmore turbulent and complex. The spacecraft detected a previously unknown "cosmic ray sea" and measured the density of material between stars.
An Unexpected Journey
The Voyagers were designed for a four-year mission to Jupiter and Saturn. Their continuing operation is a testament to robust engineering. Both spacecraft still communicate with Earth, though their signals take over 22 hours to arrive and their power systems grow weaker each year.
Scientists estimate they have enough power to continue some operations until around 2030, providing a few more years of irreplaceable data from beyond our sun's influence.
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