Longest Running Mission clocks Historic 45 years in Space
This artist's illustration shows the Voyager 1 space probe. The spacecraft was launched on Sept. 5, 1977, and as of August 2012, it is outside the bubble of hot gas, known as the "heliopause," that radiates from the sun.
(The Quiver): Alive, steady, but not in Solar system,Being initially designed for a mission for five years, twin probes of Voyager completes 45 years after being launched in 1977 by Earth. The main functional work of the twin Voyager was to have a survey on Planets Jupiter and Saturn.
The two probes have been travelling through interstellar space since they crossed the heliospheric limit, which is where the impact of our Sun ends.
Although the communication time keeps growing as they go through interstellar space, they are still in regular contact with Earth via the Deep Space Network.
Managed and operated by Jet Propulsion laboratory, the timing duration of sending and receiving of messages of Voyager 1 is 21 hr 45 min and 45 sec each. Whereas for the voyager two, the time duration is 18 hr 04 min and 08 sec.
“The heliophysics mission fleet offers priceless insights into our Sun, from having the knowledge of Sun’s outermost atmosphere to analyzing the Sun’s influence throughout the solar system. “Director of Heliophysics at NASA Nicola Fox said.
Our understanding of the Sun has changed as a result of this information being made available by the Voyager probes.
Powered by radioisotope thermo electrical generator, the bond and communication of work between Nasa’s new brigade and Voyager has kept the spacecraft running for 45 years. The voyager contains of plutonium.
The fuel propelling the spacecraft forward will diminish as the plutonium decays, causing it to either slow down or eventually come to an end. Surprisingly, all five instruments—whose heaters have been off since 2019—are still in operation.
With the power budgets are getting tighter nowadays, our team hopes that it can sustain for another 5 years.
