45 Years of Voyager: The iconic crafts that still roam our solar system today

This year marks the 45th year that the twin probes, Voyager 1 and 2, have been released to explore the solar system. Since their launches, both probes have been able to take monumental images that broaden our understanding of space. Voyager 1 pictures, to be specific, have contributed to the study of planets beyond our solar system.

Voyager 2 was the first to lift off on August 20, 1977. Meanwhile, Voyager 1 followed weeks later, on September 5. Both probes focused on the gas giants, toward the further end of our solar system. The mission was launched by NASA from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Though the probes have been in outer space for 45 years, both of the ships were actually built to last only five years. 

Voyager 2 has toured the Jupiter and Saturn systems for decades. And even today, at 19.5 billion kilometers away, it still sends back data, images, and other intel regarding the distant giants. As well as the events beyond our solar system. On the other hand, Voyager 1 mostly focused on Jupiter and Saturn. 

Voyager 1 pictures in 2021 were not as popular, but the spacecraft was able to detect interstellar humming outside the solar system. This is sometimes an indicator of alien life. 

The Voyager’s ‘grand tour’

The Voyager mission was made possible by an alignment in the 1970s that made it easier for spacecraft to travel from planet to planet. These “gravity-assisted slingshots” only happen once every 176 years. And NASA gambled with its chances to release the first probes into space. 

To celebrate the launch, both crafts carried the “Golden Record, which contained sounds and images from Earth. It contained audio in several languages and descriptions of life on Earth. For any close encounters with alien life, the golden record shall serve as proof that humanity existed. 

Both probes took part in a “grand tour” to explore outer planets. But, it was Voyager 1 that reached Jupiter and Saturn first. Over time, Voyager 2 became the first and only spacecraft to get close to Uranus and Neptune. 

Voyager 1 pictures have remained iconic to this day, like this closeup shot of the Great Red Spot in Jupiter was taken in 1979. The craft has also taken pictures of Jupiter’s various moons. 

In 1990, Voyager 1 pictures a shot of all the planets, except Mercury, The image became known as the family portrait of the planets. With the Voyager mission, scientists were able to discern how stars interact with particles and magnetic fields. 

Eventually, both Voyagers exited the solar system. Voyager 1 crossed the boundary of the heliosphere in 2012, while Voyager 2 followed suit six years later. With this, the probes discovered that the heliosphere blocks 70% of cosmic rays created by exploding stars. 

Voyager I pictures: Icons forever

Scientists expect that both crafts will run out of power in the mid-2020s. Once the voyagers lose the ability to interact with scientists at NASA, they will serve as “ambassadors” to intelligent life”. Because of the gold-plater records, the audio and image messages will last more than a billion years in outer space. 

Since the Voyager launched 45 years ago, NASA has launched three other probes in our system. The Pioneer 10 and Pioneer 11 were launched in 1978 and the New Horizons probe was launched in 2006. Both Pioneer missions have already lost contact with Earth.

Though there are not a lot of Voyager 1 pictures in 2022, the old craft is still sending data back to scientists on Earth. For its resilience and tenacity, the Voyager mission, and Voyager 1 pictures, are loved and remembered by space lovers all over the world. 

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