When will Voyager 1 reach a light-day distance?

Voyager 1 is projected to reach a light-day distance of 16.1 billion miles in November 2026.

What planets did Voyager 1 explore?

Voyager 1 extensively photographed Jupiter in 1979 and Saturn in 1980.

How is Voyager 1 powered and is it losing power?

Voyager 1 is powered by radioisotope thermoelectric generators, which are slowly decaying and reducing its power output.

Home / Science / Voyager 1 Nears Light-Day Milestone

Voyager 1 Nears Light-Day Milestone

25 Nov

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Summary

Voyager 1 will reach 16.1 billion miles in November 2026.
The spacecraft launched in 1977 and explored Jupiter and Saturn.
Voyager 1's power is diminishing, but it continues to transmit data.

Voyager 1 is set to reach a significant distance milestone in November 2026, traveling 16.1 billion miles from Earth, a distance known as a light-day. Launched in 1977, the spacecraft has already provided invaluable data from its explorations of Jupiter and Saturn, discovering new moons and volcanic activity. It officially left our solar system in August 2012.

Currently within the sun's gravitational field but in interstellar space, Voyager 1 studies plasma waves and magnetic fields. Engineers recently resolved a computer glitch, demonstrating the ongoing efforts to maintain its functionality despite the immense distance and communication delays. The spacecraft's power, generated by radioisotope thermoelectric generators, is slowly decreasing.

To extend its mission, NASA is conserving power by shutting down non-essential systems. Voyager 1, along with its twin Voyager, carries the Golden Record, a message to potential extraterrestrial civilizations. Even as power fades, the spacecraft will continue its silent journey through the cosmos for billions of years.