NASA's twin Voyager probes log 45 years in space - the agency's longest-lived mission

NASA's twin Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft were launched in separate months in 1977 from Cape Canaveral, Florida and 45 years later the Voyagers remain on the cutting edge of space exploration - making it the longest-lived NASA mission.

The twin spacecraft are the only probes to ever explore interstellar space - the galactic ocean that our Sun and its planets travel through. The information they provide from this region has helped drive a deeper understanding of the heliosphere.

"Over the last 45 years, the Voyager missions have been integral in providing this knowledge and have helped change our understanding of the Sun and its influence in ways no other spacecraft can," says Nicola Fox, director of the Heliophysics Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

The probes have accomplished a lot since they launched in 1977. Following their launch, both Voyager probes travelled to Jupiter and Saturn, with Voyager 1 moving faster and reaching them first. Together, they unveiled much about the two gas giants and their moons.

Voyager 2 also became the first and only spacecraft to fly close to Uranus (in 1986) and Neptune (in 1989), offering humanity remarkable views of – and insights into – these distant worlds.

Recently, NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft began experiencing an issue that caused status information about one of its onboard systems to become garbled, but that doesn't stop the 45-year-old spacecraft from sending back science observations. The engineering team is trying to solve the issue or find a way to work around it.

"The Voyagers have continued to make amazing discoveries, inspiring a new generation of scientists and engineers. We don't know how long the mission will continue, but we can be sure that the spacecraft will provide even more scientific surprises as they travel farther away from the Earth," said Suzanne Dodd, project manager for Voyager at JPL.

Voyager logged 45 years in space, making it the longest-lived NASA mission! 🛰️ The Voyager team has adapted to challenges that come with operating such mature spacecraft, sometimes calling upon retired colleagues for their expertise. Learn more HERE>> https://t.co/Kf0Pkgz3LE

— NASA Marshall (@NASA_Marshall) August 17, 2022