Do you remember the spacecraft Voyagers 1 & 2 when they were launched in 1977? After flying for over 40 years, both space probe’s goal is to study our solar system and beyond. They still communicate with NASA’s Deep Space Network on a daily basis and are expected to communicate for another 20 years. Many of the onboard instruments have been turned off to save energy.
The 60 Minutes TV program recently revealed Voyager I is still communicating and sending beautiful photos of space beyond our solar system. Voyager I travels north at 38 thousand miles per hour and is over 13 billion miles from earth, while Voyager II is flying southward over 11 billion miles from Earth. Interestingly, both Voyagers are expected to complete an orbit within the Milky Way every 225 million years.
The different locations of the two Voyagers allow scientists to compare two regions of space using instruments that measure charged particles, magnetic fields, low-frequency radio waves and solar wind plasma. This may be greek to you, but will help scientists determine our future when traveling in outer space some day! Each spacecraft carries a Gold Record of Earth sounds, music, pictures and messages. Since the spacecraft could last billions of years, these records could be the only traces of our human civilization if they encounter intelligent life.
The reason why the spacecrafts have lasted so long is their radioactive power source, backup systems, shielding, and very little interference from space debris, plus great engineering! This is a great use of technology in helping us understand our solar system and beyond!
~ Bob Larson is a technologist, photo-journalist, and Marketing Director for 50 Plus.