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Voyager MissionNASA's Voyager mission launched two probes in separate months during the summer of 1977 to observe Jupiter and Saturn over a five-year period. By taking advantage of an optimal planetary alignment, the probes slingshot around the gas giants and extended their mission to include Uranus, Neptune, and interstellar space beyond the edge of the solar system, which Voyager 1 and 2 reached in 2012 and 2018, respectively. Each probe has a suite of instruments designed to observe and measure the composition of planetary bodies. These include both infrared and ultraviolet spectrometers, wide- and narrow-angle cameras, and instruments to measure magnetic fields, solar wind particles, and cosmic rays. The data takes about a day to reach Earth using the Deep Space Network. To save power and extend the mission's life, several instruments have been turned off over time. Among the mission achievements were the discoveries of active volcanism on Jupiter's moon, Io—the first observed volcanism beyond Earth—and potentially habitable conditions on Saturn's moon, Titan. Voyager 1 also captured a mosaic of images of the solar system, which included the famous "Pale Blue Dot." Both probes carry a copy of the Golden Record, a message to the stars that attempts to condense humanity's culture into a phonograph record.Explore Voyager Mission

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Voyager mission's Golden Record captures Earth’s essence for alien discoveryHoused aboard Voyager 1 and 2, each record serves as a time capsule of human culture and a peaceful introduction to any intelligent life. Even if never played, the records can outlast humanity and travel through space for a billion years. United Nations Explore a NASA timeline of the entire Voyager missionThis infographic leads users through the entire Voyager mission timeline, starting at its conception and moving through launch, to each destination, and finally, the Voyagers' crossing into interstellar space. NASA Gravity assists are crucial for space travel beyond MarsBy traveling near a moving celestial object, a passing object can gain or lose speed and change direction due to the acceleration provided by their mutual gravity. Some missions are planned around spacecraft performing multiple assists, or slingshots, to reduce fuel requirements for long-distance travel. IFLScience Congress settled for the Viking program after canceling the Voyager Mars programNASA's proposed Voyager missions to Mars and Venus in the 1970s were canceled due to budget cuts and the Apollo 1 fire. The Viking program's smaller scope—focused on data collection—was the economically viable alternative to manned Mars mission proposals. WIRED Galileo’s discovery of Jupiter’s moons led to multiple scientific advancementsBeyond challenging Earth-centric views upon their discovery in 1610, the Galilean moons were also later analyzed to contribute to early astrometry and astronomical interferometry. Measurements of eclipses were also used to estimate the speed of light. Galileo Unbound Space tourism opportunities have been explored since the end of the Apollo eraIn the 1970s, Rockwell International, a NASA contractor, and others investigated manufacturing passenger modules that could fit into the Space Shuttle's payload bay. NASA also opened spaceflights to nongovernment professionals, but many such programs were ended after the Challenger disaster, which killed the first Teacher in Space participant. AFAR Media Intended to last four years, the Voyager spacecraft have lasted nearly five decadesLaunched in 1977, the Voyager probes still send data from billions of miles away, guided by engineers who’ve turned down promotions to stay with the mission. The team continues to support the probes as they move 37,000 mph through space. The Guardian See the locations and statuses of the Voyager probesVoyager 1 and 2 have crossed the boundary into interstellar space, and this page provides a near real-time 3D look at where the probes are relative to the solar system. A table of mission status data is also viewable. NASA NASA designed the Golden Record using hydrogen to ensure it's universally readableThe Golden Record holds what is essentially a human "time capsule," featuring music, nature sounds, and greetings from around the world. NASA used the radiation period of hydrogen's simplest transition as a baseline to convey timing and structure. The first coded image is included on the cover as a test so aliens can check if they decoded it correctly. Business Insider Voyager spacecraft defied expectations and only powered down after 47 years in spaceOriginally built for a four-year mission, Voyagers 1 and 2 used a rare planetary alignment and gravity assists to reach interstellar space. With limited power and aging systems, they will continue to send data until the mid-2030s. (Some readers may experience a paywall.) Scientific American Voyager science teams still collect valuable space data using four active toolsThese instruments track magnetic fields, solar wind particles, radio emissions from the heliopause, and hydrogen levels in the outer heliosphere. Even though each Voyager sends data at just 160 bits per second, NASA receives 6–8 hours of tracking data daily. NASA Voyager 1 and 2 are the only spacecraft to reach and study interstellar spaceThe Voyager Interstellar Mission extended beyond the original planetary flybys to explore the solar system's edge and beyond. Voyager 1 and 2 crossed the heliosheath—the boundary between the solar wind and the interstellar medium—in 2012 and 2018, respectively. NASA Voyager carries Earth's hopeful greeting into deep space as a message of peaceAlong with scientific instruments, each Voyager carried a golden record containing multilingual greetings—ranging from Sumerian and Akkadian to Thai and Cantonese—music, and sounds of Earth intended for any intelligent life that might find it. Aeon A return to UranusThere's been only one mission to Uranus before—Voyager 2 passed by the ice giant in 1986 before heading off into interstellar space. NASA's recent planned itinerary for space missions lists Uranus as the highest priority over the next decade. The seventh planet is 20 times as far from the sun as Earth, and researchers say its study will shed light on how the outer half of the Solar System formed. Chemistry World

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