Voyager 1 is passing the one light-day threshold after 49 years, two months, and 11 days of travel following its launch on September 5, 1977. Having originally explored Jupiter and Saturn, the probe crossed the interstellar boundary in 2012 and continues transmitting scientific readings back to mission controllers. To conserve power and extend the mission's operational lifespan, NASA recently deactivated one of its instruments, leaving just two active sensors measuring plasma waves and magnetic fields.
Key points
Voyager 1 continues to provide valuable interstellar science while operating with only tw…: Voyager 1 continues to provide valuable interstellar science while operating with only two remaining active instruments.
Alongside its twin Voyager 2, the probe is one of only two human-made craft to operate ou…: Alongside its twin Voyager 2, the probe is one of only two human-made craft to operate outside the heliosphere.
The spacecraft carries the Golden Record, featuring 115 images, natural sounds, and greet…: The spacecraft carries the Golden Record, featuring 115 images, natural sounds, and greetings in 35 different languages.
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NASA's Voyager 1 has traveled farther than anything else that humans have launched into space. On Wednesday, it's set to reach a new milestone: reaching a distance that is one-light day away from Earth.
NASA is celebrating the occasion with the "Shine Bright for Voyager's Light-Day." Calling it a symbolic celebration, NASA is asking the public on Tuesday night to send Voyager's call sign V-G-R into the sky in morse code. Use a flashlight, phone light or anything that can blink a sequence.
If you want to take part:
V - Three quick flashes, one long flash
G - Two long flashes, one quick flash
R - One quick flash, one long flash, one quick flash
What exactly is a light-day?
A light-day is the distance light travels in 24 hours, or more than 16 billion miles.
This NASA spacecraft has traveled for nearly 50 years, launching Sept. 5, 1977.
Over the course of its mission, Voyager 1 has conducted flybys of Jupiter and Saturn. In 1979, it discovered a faint ring system on Jupiter. In 1980, the spacecraft took…
The destruction of the onboard commercial payload strikes an unexpected blow to deployment schedules while tarnishing United Launch Alliance's previously unblemished operational record. Investigators have not yet disclosed what triggered the mid-flight malfunction during the critical ascent phase. The incident places immediate scrutiny on the aerospace joint venture formed by Boeing and Lockheed Martin as it evaluates the reliability of its launch vehicle.
A launch vehicle created by the joint venture between aerospace giants Boeing and Lockheed Martin suffered a catastrophic mid-flight failure. The incident led to the total loss of the onboard commercial payload belonging to Amazon. Officials have not yet determined what triggered the anomaly in the air or the precise extent of the hardware lost.
The in-flight anomaly marks the first mission failure in United Launch Alliance's 20-year history, disrupting the kickoff of a major commercial contract. The loss delivers an immediate setback to Amazon's space ambitions as the company attempts to deploy its satellite constellation to rival SpaceX's established Starlink network.