The Voyager program is an American scientific program that launched two unmanned space missions, the probes Voyager 1 and Voyager 2. Although they were designated officially to study just the planetary systems of Jupiter and Saturn, the space probes were able to continue their mission into the outer solar system, and they are expected to push through the heliosheath in deep space.
Questions tagged [voyager]
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Why were the Voyager spacecraft numbered "out-of-order"?
Voyager 2 was launched on August 20, 1977. Sixteen days later, Voyager 1 was launched on September 5, 1977.
Why was the first spacecraft numbered #2 and the second spacecraft numbered #1?
Clarification: One would expect that the first spacecraft…
DrSheldon
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For how long will the Voyager records remain playable?
The records attached to the Voyager spacecraft are apparently just like an old-school vinyl disk, except made of gold (sort of like a metal master), in that the information is encoded in mechanically cut grooves. Based on depictions of the…
Anthony X
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Is there someone continually monitoring the Voyager spacecraft?
I just finished watching The Farthest, a great documentary about the Voyager spacecraft, launched in 1977 and still operational today.
It got me wondering about those people shown in the documentary sitting at consoles monitoring the two Voyager…
Stu Smith
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Can Voyager 1 or 2, theoretically, return to earth if given instructions before their electronic instruments shut down in 2025?
According to the NASA Website, the Voyager probes will begin powering down electrical components soon with all electronic functions ceasing some time around 2025.
With no ability to transmit back to earth and thus of 0 value in the Interstellar…
Venture2099
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What is the ninth planet on this image from the Voyager Golden Record?
Looking through the content of the Voyager Golden Record, I came across these two images:
schematic of the solar system, part 1
schematic of the solar system, part 2
The first nine circles obviously represent the sun and the eight planets of the…
otterstorm
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How would the Voyagers be tracked after the RTGS runs out of fuel?
This is a follow-up building on Does Voyager 1 do anything to be more observable?
Perhaps no later than 2025 AD, the Voyager twins are expected to become mute; the RTGs will no longer provide enough electricity to power their instruments.
After…
Everyone
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What is the beam width of the antenna of Voyager 2?
There is a communication pause with Voyager 2 since July 21, the antenna points 2 degrees away from Earth. A series of planned commands sent to NASA’s Voyager 2 inadvertently changed the antenna alignment.
Source Mission Update: Voyager 2…
Uwe
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Is there any information about the Voyager Golden Record stylus?
We all know many things about the Golden Record itself, but I'm having trouble finding any information about the stylus that was paired with the record on both Voyagers. The most information I've come across is "a stylus and cartridge are bracketed…
Doug F
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If the Kuiper belt is only about 50 AU thick and Voyager 2 is 153 AU away then it has to be in the Oort cloud?
Kuiper belt is 50 AU thick....correct?
Oort cloud touches Keiper belt....correct?
Neptune is 31 AU away.
That means Voyager 2 at 153 AU is beyond the Kuiper belt So where is it??
clarence baker
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Are the Voyager probes radio output power scalable?
We know the RTGs will fail one day. Assuming Voyager probes have a full transmitter output power of 22 watts can/will this be scaled down as the need arises?
Alex Hale
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Can aliens use Voyager to communicate with us?
An alien intelligence, after observing Voyagers trajectory to work out where it came from, would know that there is intelligent life on Earth.
How could they use that information to start communicating with us?
Ron Woodward
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Is the speed of the Voyager probes accurately described by Newton's or Einstein's theories?
I have read a book claiming that the speed of the Voyager probes do not fit neither the Newton's laws of motion nor Einstein's relativity theory. Is it a recognized scientific fact? Where can I find the relevant information?
John Isay
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Are the Voyager spacecrafts ever coming back?
The Voyager spacecrafts were sent out over 40 years ago to conduct closeup studies of Jupiter and Saturn, Saturn's rings, and the larger moons of the two planets, but something went wrong and they ended up leaving the solar system.
Will they ever…
Eevee
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