Voyager 1 Is Finally Returning Home After 45 Years In Space!

In August 2012, a historic event took place in the vastness of space. Voyager 1, the space probe launched by NASA in 1977, finally broke free from the heliosphere, the gigantic bubble of charged particles surrounding the Sun. This groundbreaking revelation was made public in a study published in the renowned journal Science the following year. But how did this extraordinary feat come to be?

It all began when Voyager 1's plasma wave instrument recorded a powerful solar eruption between April 9 and May 22, 2013. The electrons near the spacecraft vibrated as a result of this eruption, leading researchers to discover that the electron density near Voyager 1 was higher than that just inside the heliosphere. This finding seemed to contradict the notion that electron density is higher in interstellar space than in the vicinity of the Sun.

However, the researchers explained that the electron density at the edge of the heliosphere is significantly lower than that on the surface of the Earth. After carefully analyzing Voyager 1's data, the researchers determined the official date of its departure, which turned out to be August 25, 2012. This date was not only determined by the electron oscillations but also by measuring the charged solar particles captured by the probe on that fateful day.

Coincidentally, on that very same day, the world mourned the loss of Neil Armstrong, the famous astronaut of Apollo 11. Voyager 1 detected a thousandfold decrease in these solar particles and a nine percent increase in galactic cosmic rays originating from outside the solar system. At that moment, Voyager 1 was located at a staggering distance of 11.25 billion miles or 18.11 billion kilometers from the Sun, approximately 121 astronomical units.

Since entering interstellar space, Voyager 1 has provided a wealth of data about the conditions in this region of the universe. Its discoveries include insights into how the Sun's charged particles interact with those emitted by other stars. The engineers involved in the mission continue to be astounded by the probe's capabilities. This was evident when, in December 2017, NASA announced that Voyager 1 had successfully utilized its backup trajectory correction thrusters to orient itself and communicate with Earth.

These thrusters had not been used since the spacecraft's flyby of Saturn in November 1980. Subsequently, Voyager 1 primarily relied on its standard attitude control thrusters to maintain proper orientation for communication purposes. However, as the performance of these thrusters deteriorated over time, NASA decided to test the backup trajectory correction thrusters. The test was a resounding success, and additional measures have been taken to prolong Voyager 1's lifespan and conserve its limited power supply.

Unveiling the Secrets of Interstellar Space

At present, Voyager 1 is equipped with four operational instruments: the cosmic ray subsystem, the low-energy charged particle instrument, the magnetometer, and the plasma wave subsystem. This period of direct study has provided invaluable insights into how a star, our Sun, interacts with particles and magnetic fields beyond our heliosphere.

This knowledge has helped scientists deepen their understanding of the local neighborhood between stars, challenging existing theories and providing critical information for future missions. The next major encounter for Voyager 1 is anticipated to occur in 40,000 years when the spacecraft comes within 1.7 light-years of the star AC + 79388, which is approximately 17.5 light-years away from Earth.

But how does NASA receive data from a probe that is so incredibly distant? The answer lies in the Deep Space Network (DSN), a collection of large radio antennas situated in various locations around the world. Despite the signal taking over 20 hours to travel between Earth and Voyager 1, the DSN makes it possible to receive information and images from the probe.

Although Voyager's radio systems use 23 watts of power, which is significantly more than the typical 3 watts of a cell phone, it is still a low-power transmission compared to the large radio stations on Earth. The key to receiving these signals lies in three factors: extremely large antennas, directional antennas pointing directly at each other, and radio frequencies free from human interference.

The antennas used by Voyager are enormous, with a diameter of 3.7 meters, and they transmit in the 8-gigahertz band, where there is minimal interference. Moreover, Earth utilizes thousands of watts of power to ensure that the message is received by the spacecraft. This is where NASA's Deep Space Network, the largest and most sensitive scientific telecommunications system in the world, comes into play.

Comprising three facilities located in Goldstone (near Barstow, California), Madrid (Spain), and Canberra (Australia), the Deep Space Network enables continuous communication with the probes as our planet rotates. During certain months of the year, the distance between Earth and Voyager 1 decreases, giving the impression that the spacecraft is returning home. But why does this happen?

Earth's Orbit and the Dance of the Voyagers

The answer lies in the dynamics of Earth's orbit and the relative speeds of the spacecraft and our planet. Voyager 1 travels at a speed of 38,210 miles per hour, while Voyager 2 moves at 35,000 miles per hour. These speeds are slower than Earth's orbital speed. As a result, for a few months each year, Earth accelerates toward the Voyagers, temporarily bringing them closer.

However, this is merely a fleeting encounter, as the Voyagers continue their onward journey, while Earth adjusts its position in the vastness of space. Voyager 2's distance from Earth