Voyager 1

Our Pale Blue Dot – NASA

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Our Pale Blue Dot – NASA

Earth is but a tiny light blue dot in this 30th anniversary version of the iconic “Pale Blue Dot” image. The original photo, taken by NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft on Feb. 14, 1990, is now 35 years old. Voyager 1 was 3.7 billion miles (6 billion km) away from the Sun, giving it a unique … Read more

NASA JPL Unveils the Dr. Edward Stone Exploration Trail – NASA

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NASA JPL Unveils the Dr. Edward Stone Exploration Trail – NASA

A series of plaques stretching through the heart of the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory offers highlights of the space explorer’s career and the Voyager mission he led. Family members, colleagues, and local dignitaries gathered on Friday, Dec. 6, at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California for the unveiling of a memorial honoring Ed Stone, … Read more

Still Kickin’ Since the ’70s: NASA’s Voyager Mission Keeps Exploring – NASA Science

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Still Kickin’ Since the ’70s: NASA’s Voyager Mission Keeps Exploring – NASA Science

Each of NASA’s Voyager probes are equipped with three radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs), including the one shown here at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The RTGs provide power for the spacecraft by converting the heat generated by the decay of plutonium-238 into electricity. Launched in 1977, the Voyager mission is managed for NASA by … Read more

Voyager 1 Team Accomplishes Tricky Thruster Swap – NASA Science

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Voyager 1 Team Accomplishes Tricky Thruster Swap – NASA Science

Both Voyager probes feature three sets, or branches, of thrusters: two sets of attitude propulsion thrusters and one set of trajectory correction maneuver thrusters. During the mission’s planetary flybys, both types of thrusters were used for different purposes. But as Voyager 1 travels on an unchanging path out of the solar system, its thruster needs … Read more

Voyager 1 Returning Science Data From All Four Instruments – NASA Science

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Voyager 1 Returning Science Data From All Four Instruments – NASA Science

5 min read NASA’s Perseverance Fords an Ancient River to Reach Science Target Originally thought of as little more than a route clear of rover-slowing boulders, Neretva Vallis has provided a bounty of geologic options for the science team.    After detouring through a dune field to avoid wheel-rattling boulders, NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover reached … Read more

Ed Stone, Former Director of JPL, Voyager Project Scientist, Dies – NASA

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Ed Stone, Former Director of JPL, Voyager Project Scientist, Dies – NASA

Known for his steady leadership, consensus building, and enthusiasm for engaging the public in science, Stone left a deep impact on the space community. Edward C. Stone, former director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, and longtime project scientist of the agency’s Voyager mission, died on June 9, 2024. He was 88. He … Read more

NASA’s Voyager Team Focuses on Software Patch, Thrusters – NASA

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NASA’s Voyager Team Focuses on Software Patch, Thrusters – NASA

The efforts should help extend the lifetimes of the agency’s interstellar explorers. Engineers for NASA’s Voyager mission are taking steps to help make sure both spacecraft, launched in 1977, continue to explore interstellar space for years to come. One effort addresses fuel residue that seems to be accumulating inside narrow tubes in some of the … Read more