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Missions Encyclopedia Entry 1778559739

** The **Voyager 1** mission is a historic and ongoing space exploration project that has significantly expanded humanity's understanding of the outer Solar System and beyond, providing valuable insights into the interstellar medium and the heliosphere. **CONTENT:** ### Overview Launched on September 5, 1977, **Voyager 1** is a space probe designed to study the outer Solar System and beyond. The mission was conceived by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, with the primary objective of exploring the outer planets, their moons, and the heliosphere. The Voyager 1 spacecraft is a remarkable example of human ingenuity and technological advancement, having traveled over 14 billion miles (22.5 billion kilometers) into interstellar space. The Voyager 1 mission is a twin to **Voyager 2**, which was launched on August 20, 1977. Both spacecraft were designed to take advantage of a rare alignment of the outer planets, allowing them to visit Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune in a single mission. The Voyager 1 spacecraft is powered by a radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG), which converts the heat generated by the decay of plutonium-238 into electricity. ### History/Background The Voyager 1 mission was conceived in the early 1970s, when NASA's Planetary Exploration Program was looking for a way to explore the outer Solar System. The mission was initially designed to study the outer planets, but it was later expanded to include a flyby of Jupiter and Saturn. The Voyager 1 spacecraft was built by JPL, with a team of engineers and scientists led by Dr. Edward Stone. The Voyager 1 spacecraft was launched on September 5, 1977, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The spacecraft followed a complex trajectory, using gravity assists from Jupiter and Saturn to increase its speed and alter its course. The Voyager 1 spacecraft flew by Jupiter on March 5, 1979, and Saturn on November 12, 1980. The spacecraft continued on its journey, entering the heliosphere and eventually becoming the first human-made object to enter interstellar space. ### Key Information **Voyager 1** has achieved numerous milestones throughout its mission, including: * **First human-made object to enter interstellar space**: Voyager 1 crossed the heliopause, the boundary between the heliosphere and interstellar space, on August 25, 2012. * **Farthest human-made object from Earth**: Voyager 1 is currently over 14 billion miles (22.5 billion kilometers) away from Earth, making it the farthest human-made object in space. * **Most distant spacecraft**: Voyager 1 is the most distant spacecraft ever built, with a speed of approximately 38,000 miles per hour (61,155 kilometers per hour). * **Pioneer plaque**: Voyager 1 carries a gold-plated copper record, known as the Golden Record, which contains sounds and images of Earth and its inhabitants. * **Cosmic ray detection**: Voyager 1 has been detecting cosmic rays and high-energy particles from the interstellar medium, providing valuable insights into the properties of these particles. ### Significance The **Voyager 1** mission has significantly expanded humanity's understanding of the outer Solar System and beyond. The mission has provided valuable insights into the properties of the interstellar medium, the heliosphere, and the cosmic rays that permeate the universe. The Voyager 1 spacecraft has also served as a pioneer for future space exploration missions, demonstrating the feasibility of long-duration spaceflight and the importance of interstellar travel. **INFOBOX:** - **Name:** Voyager 1 - **Type:** Space probe - **Date:** September 5, 1977 - **Location:** Interstellar space - **Known For:** First human-made object to enter interstellar space, farthest human-made object from Earth **TAGS:** Space exploration, Voyager 1, interstellar space, heliosphere, cosmic rays, Golden Record, Pioneer plaque, NASA, JPL, Planetary Exploration Program.