General Discussion

Roland99

(53,342 posts) Mon Dec 10, 2018, 08:25 PM Dec 2018

Voyager has left the building!

A NASA Probe Launched in 1977 Just Entered Interstellar Space
https://news.yahoo.com/nasa-probe-launched-1977-just-140633346.html

NASA’s Voyager 2 probe has become the second-ever manmade spacecraft to enter interstellar space, the agency said Monday.

The probe, launched in 1977 to study the planets farthest from Earth, crossed the outermost edge of what’s called the heliosphere — a protective bubble created by our sun — on Nov. 5. It is now more than 11 billion miles from Earth, according to NASA. (The sun is a mere 91 to 94.5 million miles from Earth.)

Like its sister spacecraft Voyager 1 (which crossed this boundary in 2012), Voyager 2 is now traveling in the space between stars.

Maybe it #FindStark now!

20 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Voyager has left the building! (Original Post) Roland99 Dec 2018 OP

If I know my Star Trek, it will be back.. denbot Dec 2018 #1

ooo. Well played Roland99 Dec 2018 #2

Vger! mcar Dec 2018 #4

What a STUPID thing to say.... brooklynite Dec 2018 #6

Details schmetails! Roland99 Dec 2018 #7

Wasn't it Pioneer 10 that was blown up? n/t sl8 Dec 2018 #19

Yes it was, in Star Trek 5. Archae Dec 2018 #20

take me with you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Takket Dec 2018 #3

How awesome. trev Dec 2018 #5

It is truly remarkable that 41 years on, and the little guy A HERETIC I AM Dec 2018 #8

that explains my delayed text messages Hermit-The-Prog Dec 2018 #10

Amazing what we can do when we're not distracted by bullshit, isn't it? hatrack Dec 2018 #9

I think the oldest working satellite in orbit is the GOES 3 weather satellite elmac Dec 2018 #11

Milestone for me Xipe Totec Dec 2018 #12

Very interesting. Is this theoretical or based on actual evidence? How does NASA know? Pepsidog Dec 2018 #13

Measurable Roland99 Dec 2018 #14

Wow that's incredible. Hard to fathom. Thanks for the info and link Pepsidog Dec 2018 #15

Any time! Fascinating stuff Roland99 Dec 2018 #16

Sure is. It's hard to wrap my head around it. I would recommend everyone look at the video in your Pepsidog Dec 2018 #18

Can we triple NASA's budget now, please ??? Volaris Dec 2018 #17

denbot

(9,899 posts)

1. If I know my Star Trek, it will be back..

Reply to Roland99 (Original post)

Mon Dec 10, 2018, 08:29 PM

Dec 2018

Roland99

(53,342 posts)

2. ooo. Well played

Reply to denbot (Reply #1)

Mon Dec 10, 2018, 08:30 PM

Dec 2018

mcar

(42,333 posts)

4. Vger!

Reply to denbot (Reply #1)

Mon Dec 10, 2018, 08:55 PM

Dec 2018

brooklynite

(94,581 posts)

6. What a STUPID thing to say....

Reply to denbot (Reply #1)

Mon Dec 10, 2018, 09:01 PM

Dec 2018

That was Voyager SIX!

THIS Voyager was blown up by Klingons in Star Trek Five. Get your facts straight!

Roland99

(53,342 posts)

7. Details schmetails!

Reply to brooklynite (Reply #6)

Mon Dec 10, 2018, 09:04 PM

Dec 2018

sl8

(13,779 posts)

19. Wasn't it Pioneer 10 that was blown up? n/t

Reply to brooklynite (Reply #6)

Tue Dec 11, 2018, 12:42 AM

Dec 2018

Archae

(46,328 posts)

20. Yes it was, in Star Trek 5.

Reply to sl8 (Reply #19)

Tue Dec 11, 2018, 01:12 AM

Dec 2018

Klingons blew it up.

Takket

(21,573 posts)

3. take me with you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reply to Roland99 (Original post)

Mon Dec 10, 2018, 08:53 PM

Dec 2018

trev

(1,480 posts)

5. How awesome.

Reply to Roland99 (Original post)

Mon Dec 10, 2018, 08:57 PM

Dec 2018

To think mankind has sent machines beyond the solar system...!

Of course, as Carl Sagan pointed out, if the library at Alexandria had not been burned down by religious nutjobs, we might have accomplished this in 1500.

A HERETIC I AM

(24,368 posts)

8. It is truly remarkable that 41 years on, and the little guy

Reply to Roland99 (Original post)

Mon Dec 10, 2018, 09:07 PM

Dec 2018

Still can communicate with Earth

Amazing

Hermit-The-Prog

(33,347 posts)

10. that explains my delayed text messages

Reply to A HERETIC I AM (Reply #8)

Mon Dec 10, 2018, 09:40 PM

Dec 2018

hatrack

(59,587 posts)

9. Amazing what we can do when we're not distracted by bullshit, isn't it?

Reply to Roland99 (Original post)

Mon Dec 10, 2018, 09:09 PM

Dec 2018

to all who made it happen - then and now!!!!

elmac

(4,642 posts)

11. I think the oldest working satellite in orbit is the GOES 3 weather satellite

Reply to Roland99 (Original post)

Mon Dec 10, 2018, 10:54 PM

Dec 2018

launched in 1978, the NASA probes were definitely cutting edge technology for the times. I remember building my first fiber optic transmitter/receiver that year in high school, fun times.

Xipe Totec

(43,890 posts)

12. Milestone for me

Reply to Roland99 (Original post)

Mon Dec 10, 2018, 10:56 PM

Dec 2018

This is the year I joined the Space Program. Working on the Space Shuttle's entry to landing navigation system.

Pepsidog

(6,254 posts)

13. Very interesting. Is this theoretical or based on actual evidence? How does NASA know?

Reply to Roland99 (Original post)

Mon Dec 10, 2018, 11:20 PM

Dec 2018

Roland99

(53,342 posts)

14. Measurable

Reply to Pepsidog (Reply #13)

Mon Dec 10, 2018, 11:22 PM

Dec 2018

https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-s-voyager-2-probe-enters-interstellar-space

Comparing data from different instruments aboard the trailblazing spacecraft, mission scientists determined the probe crossed the outer edge of the heliosphere on Nov. 5. This boundary, called the heliopause, is where the tenuous, hot solar wind meets the cold, dense interstellar medium. Its twin, Voyager 1, crossed this boundary in 2012, but Voyager 2 carries a working instrument that will provide first-of-its-kind observations of the nature of this gateway into interstellar space.

Pepsidog

(6,254 posts)

15. Wow that's incredible. Hard to fathom. Thanks for the info and link

Reply to Roland99 (Reply #14)

Mon Dec 10, 2018, 11:26 PM

Dec 2018

Roland99

(53,342 posts)

16. Any time! Fascinating stuff

Reply to Pepsidog (Reply #15)

Mon Dec 10, 2018, 11:33 PM

Dec 2018

I remember the launches as a kid. Wonderful to see they’re still going

Pepsidog

(6,254 posts)

18. Sure is. It's hard to wrap my head around it. I would recommend everyone look at the video in your

Reply to Roland99 (Reply #16)

Mon Dec 10, 2018, 11:47 PM

Dec 2018

link. That both Voyager spacecraft is still sending data 41 years after it was launched boggles the mind. The iPhone has 200,000 times the memory of Voyager is crazy. 41 years from today what will society look like. And for the political spin, when the Rs bitch about government we should all remind the ignorant righties that it is government agencies like NASA that innovate and return so much more to enrich our world than the realitive few dollars it cost to accomplish such amazing things like Voyager.

Volaris

(10,271 posts)

17. Can we triple NASA's budget now, please ???

Reply to Roland99 (Original post)

Mon Dec 10, 2018, 11:33 PM

Dec 2018

Pretty sure they've damnwell earned it.

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