Voyager -1: A Cosmic Traveler Reaching for Infinity and Beyond

Imagine a spacecraft launched during the late 70s, exploring way beyond our vast solar system, yet feeding us the data today! You read it right; it still works up till its best working condition — such is Voyager-1.

In this article, we delve into the journey of Voyager-1 and its historic entry into the interstellar space. This piece of marvel has a one-of-a-kind adventure, literally out of the world!

---

What was the motive behind Voyager-1?

Voyager 1 was part of NASA's twin spacecraft program, launched in the summer of 1977 from Cape Canaveral, Florida, alongside Voyager 2.

Initially designed for a five-year mission to study Jupiter, Saturn, and their moons, the probes exceeded expectations. Thanks to a rare geometric alignment of the outer planets (occurring every 175 years), the spacecraft could use the gravitational pull of each planet to "swing" to the next, minimizing fuel use.

This enabled a grand tour of four planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

The mission's success was a testament to the engineers and scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

• Gravity Assist Technique: Each planet flyby bends the spacecraft's flight path and increases its velocity.
• Voyager 1 Launch: September 5, 1977
• Jupiter Arrival: March 5, 1979
• Saturn Arrival: November 12, 1980
• Special Trajectory: Close flybys of Titan and Saturn's rings bent Voyager 1's path northward, out of the ecliptic plane.

---

More Than Just Metal: The Treasures Voyager-1 Carries

The prime mission science payload consisted of 10 instruments aimed for 11 investigations, including radio science.

i) Cosmic Ray Subsystem (CRS)

• Detects very energetic particles in plasma.
• Highest sensitivity among particle detectors.
• Leaves detectable traces without capturing particles.

ii) Infrared Interferometer Spectrometer and Radiometer (IRIS)

• Functions as three instruments: thermometer, spectrometer, and radiometer.
• Measures heat energy to determine temperatures.
• Detects elements/compounds in atmospheres or surfaces.
• Infrared measurement ranges: 2.5–50μm and 0.3–2.0μm.

iii) Low-Energy Charged Particle (LECP)

• Detects higher energy particles than the PLS and overlaps with CRS.
• Broadest energy range among the three particle sensors.

iv) Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTG)

• Three RTG units power Voyager-1.
• Uses Plutonium-238 oxide for heat through isotopic decay.
• Converts decay energy to electrical power via thermoelectric converters.

v) Photopolarimeter Subsystem (PPS)

• A 0.2m telescope with filters and polarization analyzers.
• Measures scattered sunlight intensity and polarization (235–750nm).
• Reveals properties of planetary atmospheres, surfaces, and phenomena like lightning and auroras.

---

Voyager 1’s New Journey: Interstellar Space

After conquering the outer planets by 1989, Voyager 1 embarked on the Voyager Interstellar Mission (VIM) in 1990.

VIM's Ambitious Goals

• Explore the Heliosphere Boundary: Study the Sun's magnetic bubble edge.
• Gather Crucial Data: Understand the transition to interstellar space.

Epic Milestones

• 1998: Surpassed Pioneer 10; became the farthest human-made object at 69.4 AU from the Sun.
• 2004: Detected a surge in magnetic field intensity; entered the Helio sheath.
• 2012: First spacecraft to enter interstellar space.

Current Status (January 2024)

• Distance: 136 AU (~15 billion miles) from Earth.
• Speed: 38,000 mph relative to the Sun.
• Data Transmission: Still sending valuable data with four functioning instruments.

---

Voyager 1 remains a true deep-space pioneer, inspiring and expanding our knowledge of the cosmos with every mile it travels.

Voyager Fact Sheet

• Spacecraft Instruments
• Voyager 1 - NASA Science