NASA’s space probe, Voyager 1, was made with the purpose of discovering the universe. It was created in the mid-1970s to start its expedition as quickly as possible. It has travelled to Saturn, Jupiter, and Titan and has lasted the longest among all spacecraft. Soon, this space probe will run out of energy after exploring the universe for 46 years.
Why was Voyager 1 created?
It was established that every 176 years, the solar system's outer planets would align. This alignment could help spacecraft accelerate due to gravitational pull. Because of how uncommon this alignment occurs, the space probe had to be built in the mid-1970s in order to reach the planets. Voyager 1 has been travelling the universe and taking photographs for 46 years.
The Impact of Voyager 1
Our understanding of planets like Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune has improved thanks to Voyager 1. Voyager 1 discovered two new moons of Jupiter, Thebe and Metis, as well as a new ring at Jupiter. Eventually, Voyager 1 discovered five new moons and a ring in Saturn known as the G-ring. Io is among the top discoveries made by the space probe. We discovered the presence of volcanoes because of Voyager 1’s discovery.
The Golden Record
Voyager 1 is currently carrying a precious record known as the Golden Record. NASA created the Golden Record in an attempt to show extraterrestrial beings Earth’s story and human civilization. The record includes greetings, images, audio, and videos. It includes a variety of greetings from languages spoken more than 6,000 years ago, such as Akkakdian and modern languages such as Mandarin. The sounds of the earth, made by humans and animals, are among the other things in the record. According to NASA, Voyager 1 will stop collecting scientific data after 2025. During its final mission, it intends to continue exploring in solitude with the goal of revealing the Golden Record to other civilizations.
We now have new discoveries on Jupiter, Saturn, and other planets thanks to the longest-lasting space mission, Voyager 1. As it was constructed in the middle of the 1970s, when the planets were aligned, it travelled vast distances. After 2025, Voyager 1 will stop transmitting signals to Earth, which will be bittersweet for both the astronauts who have worked with the spacecraft for years and for the rest of us. We will never know whether Voyager 1 will be able to show the Golden Record to other civilizations, but we all wish Voyager 1 the best of luck in the future.
Written by Katie Wong
Citations (MLA)
Howell, E. (2022, August 23). Voyager 1: Facts about Earth's farthest spacecraft. Space.com. Retrieved March 5, 2023, https://www.space.com/17688-voyager-1.html
Moskowitz, C. (2015) How the Voyager Spacecraft changed the world: An interview with scientist Jim Bell, Scientific American. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/recommended-how-the-voyager-spacecraft-changed-the-world-an-interview-with-scientist-jim-bell/ (Accessed: March 5, 2023).
Voyager - what's on the Golden Record NASA. NASA.
https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/golden-record/whats-on-the-record/ (Accessed: March 5, 2023).
Voyager 1 NASA. NASA.
https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/voyager-1/in-depth/ (Accessed: March 5, 2023).
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