When the Twin Voyager spacecraft, 1 and 2 were
launched from Earth in 1977
their mission objective was to explore, the large gas planets
in the outer reaches of our solar system.
Even a flyby of Pluto was planned
but that objective was discarded.
When an opportunity for Voyager 2 to fly by Titan,
Saturn's largest moon.
Came about
a course correction was sent to Voyager 2.
However, due to the new trajectory
Voyager 2 could not be rerouted back to Pluto.
So visiting, Pluto was abandoned.
The Voyager spacecraft completed their primary
objective in 1989.
So attention was turned to sending the voyagers into the
outer reaches of the cosmos to explore Interstellar space.
The spacecraft have performed better than anyone ever expected.
Despite the fact that they are using 1970s technology
The voyagers communicate with Earth via a three point.
Seven meter diameter high-gain antenna,
which sends and receives radio waves via three deep, space
network stations on the Earth
by the time Voyager signal reaches Earth.
Its strength has diminished to about 20 billion times weaker
than a digital watch battery.
In 1978
Voyager twos transmitter failed.
So it's backup transmitter has been used ever since
the voyagers will only be able to communicate with Earth for a
couple more years.
Their power supply will deplete itself around 2025
scientists are working hard to try and stretch that power.
However, so that, hopefully We'll hear the last
transmission from the voyagers in 2027,
the 50th anniversary of their launch,
their signal is already, so, incredibly weak.
It is becoming more and more difficult for the spacecraft to
keep a lock on the earth.
So it knows where to send the signal.
There won't be any more pictures taken by either of the
voyagers ever again.
Voyager 2 is cameras were turned off in 1989 to save
power for other instruments that collect data on solar wind
and Interstellar space.
Voyager 1's cameras were turned off in 1990
after taking a picture of the famous pale blue dot
also to save power for other instruments,
besides the spacecraft will never again fly close enough to
any astronomical object to take pictures.
The cosmos is just too dark black, empty and fast.
When all power is gone,
the voyagers journey will not end.
However,
because of the vacuum of space, the velocities of both
spacecraft will not change,
but go on forever.
They in their components will not suffer Decay either.
They will continue to fly through the cosmos stretching
further and further into the unknown
Voyager, 1 left.
The solar system in 2012 and was considered to be an
Interstellar space
but many scientists say that Voyager will not be In pristine
Interstellar space
until it passes through the Oort cloud,
it will take 300 years
just to reach the inner edge of the Oort cloud
and Voyager won't pass through the Oort cloud for 56,000 years.
That's where the sun's gravitational influence drops
off.
Only then will Voyager 1 be considered to be in pristine
Interstellar space.
Since Voyager 1 entered Interstellar space, it will not
come anywhere near another star for 40,000 years.
When it comes within one point seven, light years of an
obscure star,
in the constellation camelopardalis
called AC plus 70 3888.
It will be in the year.
40,000
282, ad
Voyager ones.
Next our encounter will be in the year.
Three hundred and four thousand 800 ad
when it passes within one light year, from the start EYC 313,
50 to 1,
which scientists think could be a binary star
in 596 thousand ad
Voyager.
1 will pass by the Stars gj6 86 + GJ, 678
Voyager, 2 left, the solar Our system in 2018 in a different
direction from Voyager 1,
but it to will not be in pristine Interstellar space
until it passes through the art cloud in about sixty One
Thousand Years.
Also, in about 40,000 years
Voyager, 2, will pass within one point seven, light years
from a small red star called Ross to 48.
After two hundred and ninety.
Six thousand years
Voyager, 2 will pass by the star Sirius, at a distance of 4.
3 light years.
It will be in the year 298,000 ad
in another 100,000 years or so after that,
in the year, 398,000 ad
Voyager 2, will pass by two stars,
Delta positive and G.
154.
The voyagers will continue into the void passing through dust
clouds and local bubbles of empty space
blown upon by dying Stars.
The region between the stars is filled with gas dust and
material recycled from those dying Stars.
In four billion years or so.
From now,
our son will die.
It does not have enough Mass to go supernova, but like all
stars its size, it will swell to five times, its current size,
it will swallow, all the inner planets
than collapse on itself.
The Earth along with everyone that ever was
everything we ever knew
will be gone
vanished
into the stuff of stars,
even if Voyager had power,
there would be no Earth.
No son to lock onto
to transmit its discoveries and it's amazing experiences to
Voyager long.
Go stop being able to even record what it sees
the voyagers will be so far away that they even if they
still had power,
would not know that the Earth has ceased to exist.
Traveling a million miles a day over billions of years,
their distances too far away to even calculate.
Yet the voyagers continue their Journey stretching further and
further into the cosmos.
Well, beyond anything we could today.
Imagine
They have long been the silent ambassador's for humankind.
The voyagers will in fiber.
Six billion years passed through another local bubble of
empty space.
The spacecraft could be affected by dust clouds and the
gravitational pull of rogue, starless planets.
However,
Ultimately like the stars in the Milky Way
the voyagers will orbit the center
of the Milky Way galaxy
it will take 225 million years
to complete one orbit around the center of the Milky Way
and the voyagers will orbit for billions of years.
Or until our neighboring Galaxy Andromeda collides with the
Milky Way.
Due to the enormous distances between the Stars,
it is likely that the voyagers will survive this Collision of
galaxies, however,
and continue their Journey.
The voyagers will continue to travel through the empty black
expanse of the cosmos
alone,
still traveling on a million miles per day.
They may witness the birth of stars
or certainly their deaths.
No matter,
no one will ever know
the voyagers.
Not only cannot transmit.
They can't record any information either.
Power died billions of years ago.
Frozen in the vacuum of space.
Both spacecraft and their contents need not fear.
Decay
The Ultimate Death of the voyagers could come from
thousands of micro meteorite impacts
or some unforeseen Collision,
the voyagers.
However will probably outlive the solar system long after our
sun dies
and long after the Milky Way, galaxy has been unalterably
changed.
Or disappeared.
The voyagers are destined perhaps for all eternity
to wander the cosmos
carrying with them.
The only traces of our human existence,