Humanity’s farthest and longest-live spacecraft, Voyager 1 and 2, are celebrating 40 years of operation and exploration this month.
The Voyagers have set numerous records since they were launched in 1977, including Voyager 1 being the only spacecraft to have flown by all four outer planets – Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
And Nasa engineers behind the probes say that they had no idea that they would still be working today.
Nasa’s official celebrations will begin at 12:30pm ET (17:30 BST) today, when experts will discuss some of the highlights of the spacecraft’s journeys.
Humanity’s farthest and longest-live spacecraft, Voyager 1 and 2, are celebrating 40 years of operation and exploration this month. Nasa launched the Voyager 1 spacecraft on September 5 1977, and the Voyager 2 on August 20 1977
Nasa launched the Voyager 1 spacecraft on September 5 1977, and the Voyager 2 on August 20 1977.
Each spacecraft carries a golden record on board – a record that includes sounds, pictures and messages of Earth.
Mr Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for Nasa’s Science Mission Directorate said: ‘I believe that few missions can ever match the achievements of the Voyager spacecraft during their four decades of exploration.
‘They have educated us to the unknown wonders of the universe and truly inspired humanity to continue to explore our solar system and beyond.’
During their 40 years of operation, the Voyagers have set several records.
In 2012, Voyager 1 became the only spacecraft to have entered interstellar space, which the Voyager 2 is the only spacecraft to have flown by all four outer planets – Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
Their planetary encounters include the discovery of the first active volcanoes beyond Earth – on Jupiter’s moon Io – and the most Earth-like atmosphere in the solar system – on Saturn’s moon Titan.
Voyager 1 is currently 13 billion miles away from Earth, travelling northward through space.
The probe has recently sent back data to Nasa that cosmic rays are as much as four times more abundant in interstellar space than in the vicinity of Earth.
This suggests that the heliosphere, the region of space that contains our solar system’s planets, may act as a radiation shield.
This archival photo shows engineers working on the Voyager 2 spacecraft on March 23, 1977. Voyager 2 is the only spacecraft to have flown by all four outer planets – Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune
Voyager 2 was launched on August 20, 1977, from the Nasa Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral in Florida, propelled into space on a Titan/Centaur rocket (pictured left). Pictured right is an artist/s concept depicting one of the twin Voyager spacecraft
Meanwhile, Voyager 2 is now 11 billion miles from Earth, travelling south towards the interstellar region.
The contrasting locations of the two spacecraft allow scientists to compare two regions of space where the heliosphere interacts with the interstellar medium.
Once Voyager 2 crosses into the interstellar medium, scientists will be able to sample the medium from two different locations at the same time.
These two pictures of Uranus – one in true colour (left) and the other in false colour – were compiled from images returned January 17, 1986, by the narrow-angle camera of Voyager 2
The spacecraft discovered the most Earth-like atmosphere in the solar system, on Saturn’s moon Titan; the jumbled-up, icy moon Miranda at Uranus; and icy-cold geysers on Neptune’s moon Triton (pictured)
Mr Ed Stone, Voyager project scientist, said: ‘None of us knew, when we launched 40 years ago, that anything would still be working, and continuing on this pioneering journey.
‘The most exciting thing they find in the next five years is likely to be something that we didn’t know was out there to be discovered.’
The Voyagers’ power decreases by around four watts a year, meaning engineers have having to operate the spacecraft under ever-tighter power constraints.
In 2012, Voyager 1 became the only spacecraft to have entered interstellar space, which the Voyager 2 is the only spacecraft to have flown by all four outer planets – Jupiter (pictured), Saturn, Uranus and Neptune
Voyager 1 took this stunning image of Io (pictured left) showing an active plume of Loki on limb. Pictured right is an image of Saturn taken in Voyager’s blue and violet filters and processed to recreate an approximately natural colour and contrast
Ms Suzanne Dodd, Voyager project manager, said: ‘The technology is many generations old, and it takes someone with 1970s design experience to understand how the spacecraft operate and what updates can be made to permit them to continue operating today and into the future.’
Unfortunately, Nasa predicts that it will have to turn off the last science instrument by 2030.
But even after the spacecraft go silent, they will continue their journey, completing an orbit within the Milky Way every 225 million years.
Uranus’ icy moon Miranda is seen in this image from Voyager 2 on January 24, 1986. Unfortunately, Nasa predicts that it will have to turn off the last science instrument by 2030. But even after the spacecraft go silent, they will continue their journey, completing an orbit within the Milky Way every 225 million years
Neptune’s blue-green atmosphere is shown in greater detail than ever before by the Voyager 2 spacecraft as it rapidly approaches its encounter with the giant planet
To celebrate the incredible accomplishments of the Voyager spacecraft, Nasa and the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum are hosting a public event at 12:30pm ET (17:30 BST) today.
The event will take place at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, and will also be broadcast live on Nasa’s website.
During the event, experts will discuss the Voyagers’ creation and mission history, their findings and imagery, impact on Earth and the key and the key scientists and engineers who worked on the spacecraft.
To celebrate the incredible accomplishments of the Voyager spacecraft, Nasa and the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum are hosting a public event at 12:30pm ET (17:30 BST) today