Voyager Mission

April 24, 2020

Voyager Mission

Voyager 2 spacecraft is just 21 hours travelling time for us! Sounds very close, isn't? Let me elaborate with some physics. If you can at the travel at the speed of light, which is 1,86,000 miles per second, it would take you 22 hours, 19 minutes and 40 seconds to reach the Voyager 1 spacecraft. As we speak*. Therefore, Voyager 1 is just 21 hours light-travel time from planet Earth. Mind-boggling?

*5th September, 2021, 13.18 hours IST

The most distant ambassador of Earth or the only human made object to reach Interstellar space is, Voyager Spacecraft, which might be the first man made probe to encounter, life forms of other stars (if any). Inherently space is void, but it can't be empty. Perhaps it contains lives that we are not equipped yet to understand them. A feature-documentary 'The Farthest' explores origins of Voyager spacecrafts and it's scientific missions. It was premiered at Tribeca Film Festival on 21st April 2017, and received rave reviews from filmmaking and space exploration communities. Documentarian, Emer Reynolds seeks answers for the most elusive question, 'Are we alone in the universe?' It's hoped, someone out there hears us!
Official Trailer:
https://youtu.be/znTdk_de_K8

Just to give you a perspective, spacecraft 'Voyager' travels at 10 miles/second, yet it took decades to cross the solar system, do visualize how big the solar system is, then imagine the size of our galaxy - Milky Way which houses solar system and several other stars, around which planets revolve. 'Voyager' is the first human made object to pass beyond solar system. Feature documentary, 'The Farthest' explores one of the intrepid endeavors humans ever took - building and sending Voyager into space.

In the event of Voyager 1 and 2 spacecrafts encountering extraterrestrials, the 'Golden Record', a phonograph comprising of select images and sounds depicting the diversity of humankind and planet Earth, would reveal our history to them, an intergalactic message. Theoretical physicist Carl Sagan and team were entrusted to compile the humanity's message to aliens. Intriguing. I hope someone or something in the deep space, does access the golden record and contact us.
We must be appreciable of what Voyager spacecrafts have accomplished so far. Among their many firsts, some of the significant milestones are briefly as follows: They are the first to visit planets, Jupiter, Uranus, Saturn and Neptune, and identify active volcanoes, moons beyond planet Earth; First to exit solar system and observe solar wind.

Image credit: NASA (Official poster of Voyager spacecraft)

On September 17, 1977, the spacecraft Voyager 1, photographed planet Earth and its moon, 7.25 million miles away on its odyssey in interstellar space. Intriguingly, this is the first of its kind picture taken by any spacecraft.

Image credit: national space and science museum, Smithsonian institution.
Voyager1

17 years ago, on 6th November, 2003, 'Voyager 1' the only human made object (spacecraft) reached the edge of our solar (star) system. Voyager 1 is currently in the interstellar space - the space between star systems, within our 'Milky Way' galaxy. Supposing if we were to catch up with this spacecraft, it would take about 19 hours light time, provided we are capable of travelling at the speed of light (186,000 miles/second), which our current physics and propulsion technologies forbid. What I'm implying is that Voyager 1 is that far and expected to probe the universe for billions of years, possibly becoming the only trace of human civilization in future.

Image: Artist illustration of #Voyager spacecraft. (Credit: NASA)

Voyager 1 & 2 mission status:
https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status/

Real time tracking of Voyager:
https://eyes.jpl.nasa.gov/eyes-on-voyager.html

If I can beam a signal travelling at the speed of light (186,000 miles per second) to the 'Voyager1' spacecraft, it would take 19 hours, 50 minutes and 33 seconds to reach the 'Voyager 1'.This one-way light time will only be increasing as the spacecraft keeps moving in the space at the speed of 10 miles per second. Then, do the math and calculate its distance from Earth, it is very far and beyond the solar system, in the Interstellar space - the space between stars. Then, calculate the size of our galaxy, 'Milky Way'. Only the observable universe observed by space telescope like 'Hubble', has estimated that universe is comprised of billions of galaxies, and the universe is expanding. Just imagine the size of the universe then. Unfathomable. That's why I stay from any beliefs existing on planet Earth. 47 years ago, on 5th September, 1977, 'Voyager 1' spacecraft was launched.

Image credit: Illustration of Voyager 1 by NASA

Voyager 2 spacecraft nearing the Interstellar space is of paramount importance in the history of human space exploration as it would be the second human made object to exit the solar system and enter the space between star systems - Interstellar. If you are someone following my feeds on space exploration, you may appreciate how significant this event is and perhaps understand how insignificant not only humans are but the entire universe is in the vast expanse of the space. Voyager 2 was launched in 1977.

Image Credit: #NASA - NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

The study I'm carrying out on the voyager mission is not exhaustive. Therefore, I'd suggest you to keep coming to this blog for updates.

'Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known' - Carl Sagan.

He was born 87 years ago on November 9, 1934. A cosmologist, gatekeeper of scientific credibility, celebrity scientist, science popularizer and an agnostic. His contributions to the understanding of the universe were enormous. Therefore, considered to be highly irreplaceable. His inquisitiveness for cosmos was revered and envied by scientific communities and commoners. He could have lived some more time. He died of natural causes in 1996.

How insignificant we are: Carl Sagan persuaded the scientists of the 'Voyager 1' spacecraft to turn the camera towards Earth, when it was nearing the edge of our solar system in the early 90s. Pictured here was the one taken by Voyager 1, billions of miles from our planet. The pale blue dot is Earth. Moreover, this is what he had to say:

“That’s here. That’s home. That’s us. On it, everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you have ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives...[E]very king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every revered teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every superstar, every supreme leader, every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there–on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.”