NASA’s Voyager 1 probe is set to become the first human-made object to travel a light-day from Earth this Wednesday, the agency announced. The milestone represents at least 16 billion miles travelled since launch, a distance equal to one light-day.
The probe completed its primary planetary mission with a flyby of Saturn in 1980 and now travels through interstellar space at about 36,000 miles per hour. NASA expects it will take 18,000 years to cover a full light-year, and twice that to approach another star.
In October, the team of NASA engineers who send commands to the probe briefly lost communication with it and have not yet figured out why. Both Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 continue to send daily readings on the magnetic field, pressure, dust and galactic cosmic rays.
Voyager 1 project manager Suzanne Dodd called the spacecraft “a national treasure” and told The Associated Press that the two probes’ activities are akin to those of weather satellites. The Planetary Society’s Bill Nye said in a statement: “All of us — everyone on Earth — have been touched by these missions.”
The probe also carries a cultural legacy: it took the famous “Pale Blue Dot” image of Earth in 1990.
Voyager 2 is expected to reach one light-day from Earth in 2035.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The one-light-day milestone marks the farthest any human object has traveled, demonstrating the reach of space exploration.
- Voyager 1 remains humanity’s only direct source of data from interstellar space.
- Recent unexplained communication loss raises questions about the ageing probe’s health.
Background
Launched in 1977, Voyager 1 completed its primary mission with the Saturn flyby in 1980 and continued outward into interstellar space. It runs on decaying plutonium and is managed by a skeleton team of engineers who send commands about once a week. Its twin, Voyager 2, is also active.
Key Perspectives
Suzanne Dodd, Voyager 1 project manager: called the probe “a national treasure” and compared its activity to that of weather satellites.
Bill Nye, Planetary Society: said that everyone on Earth has been touched by the Voyager missions.
What to Watch
- Whether the cause of October’s communication loss is determined and if it signals broader failures.
- Voyager 2’s own one-light-day milestone, expected in 2035.
- How long the ageing plutonium power source can sustain the remaining instruments.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedVoyager 1 is to reach one light-day from Earth this Wednesday.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “On Wednesday, the robotic space probe will hit the milestone of travelling at least 16 billion miles since its launch in 1977, a distance equal to one light-day”
- SupportedNASA says Voyager 1 will be the first human-made object to travel one light-day from Earth.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “NASA has announced that its Voyager 1 probe will soon become humanity’s first object to travel one light-day from Earth.”
- SupportedThe milestone is at least 16 billion miles travelled since launch, equal to one light-day.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “travelling at least 16 billion miles since its launch in 1977, a distance equal to one light-day”
- SupportedVoyager 1 completed its primary planetary mission with a Saturn flyby in 1980.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “The probe completed its Saturn flyby in 1980, the end of its primary planetary mission”
- SupportedVoyager 1 travels through interstellar space at about 36,000 miles per hour.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “is currently travelling at roughly 36,000 miles per hour (58km/h) in interstellar space”
- SupportedNASA expects Voyager 1 to take 18,000 years to travel a light-year and twice that to near another star.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “NASA expects it to take 18,000 years to travel a full light-year, and double that before it nears another star.”
- SupportedIn October, NASA engineers briefly lost communication with Voyager 1 and have not yet figured out why.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “In October, the team briefly lost communication with Voyager 1, and they have not yet figured out why.”
- SupportedBoth Voyagers continue to send daily readings on the magnetic field, pressure, dust and galactic cosmic rays.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Both continue to relay data back to Earth daily, including readings on the strength and direction of the magnetic field as well as on the surrounding pressure, dust and galactic cosmic rays.”
- SupportedSuzanne Dodd called Voyager 1 “a national treasure” and told the AP the probes’ activities are akin to weather satellites.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Voyager 1 project manager Suzanne Dodd described Voyager 1 as “a national treasure” and told The Associated Press news agency that the two probes’ activities are akin to that of weather satellites.”
- SupportedBill Nye said, “All of us — everyone on Earth — have been touched by these missions.”Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: ““All of us — everyone on Earth — have been touched by these missions,” the Planetary Society’s Bill Nye said in a statement.”
- SupportedVoyager 1 took the “Pale Blue Dot” image of Earth in 1990.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “The famous “Pale Blue Dot” photo of Earth was taken by Voyager 1 in 1990.”
- SupportedVoyager 2 is expected to reach one light-day from Earth in 2035.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Voyager 2 is expected to hit one light-day from Earth in 2035.”
