Uncrewed spacecraftActive
Voyager 1
Outer-planet and interstellar probe
Vehicle and mission dossier
Voyager 1
Voyager 1 launched in 1977, transformed the study of Jupiter and Saturn, and used its close Titan encounter to leave the planetary plane. It crossed the heliopause in August 2012, becoming the first spacecraft to enter interstellar space, and continues its extended fields-and-particles mission.
Flight profile
- Launch
- September 5, 1977
Vehicle record
- Manufacturer
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- Launch vehicle
- Titan IIIE-Centaur
- Primary encounters
- Jupiter and Saturn
- Power
- Three radioisotope thermoelectric generators
- Communications
- 3.7-meter high-gain antenna and NASA Deep Space Network
- Interstellar-space entry
- August 2012
- Status
- Active extended mission
- Jupiter closest approach
- March 5, 1979
- Saturn closest approach
- November 12, 1980
- Destination
- Jupiter, Saturn, and interstellar space
- Mission type
- Robotic planetary and interstellar mission
- Crew members
- 0
- Program
- Voyager
- Outcome
- Primary mission completed; extended mission active
- Archive classification
- Robotic or uncrewed spaceflight
- Primary objective
- Study Jupiter and Saturn, then characterize the outer heliosphere and interstellar environment
Flight objectives
- Operate Voyager 1 at Jupiter, Saturn, and interstellar space while collecting the mission's planned science or engineering measurements.
- Return and preserve the mission's observations, engineering results, and lessons for later exploration work.
- Farthest human-made object.
- Navigate Voyager 1 from launch through cruise, approach, , , or encounter at Jupiter, Saturn, and interstellar space.
Flight timeline
- September 5, 1977Voyager 1 beginsVoyager 1 began Voyager 1 to Operate Voyager 1 at Jupiter, Saturn, and interstellar space while collecting the mission's planned science or engineering measurements.
- OperationsReturn and preserve the mission's observations, engineering results, and lessons for later exploration workRobotic spacecraft: Voyager 1; Destination: Jupiter, Saturn, and interstellar space
- Defining resultJupiter, Saturn, and interstellar-space explorerVoyager 1 launched in 1977, transformed the study of Jupiter and Saturn, and used its close Titan encounter to leave the planetary plane.
- ActiveVoyager 1: ActiveNavigate Voyager 1 from launch through cruise, approach, , , or encounter at Jupiter, Saturn, and interstellar space.