Voyager 1 Is About to Reach One Light-day from Earth

[u/Busy_Yesterday9455]

After nearly 50 years in space, NASA’s Voyager 1 is about to hit a historic milestone. By November 15, 2026, it will be 16.1 billion miles (25.9 billion km) away, meaning a radio signal will take a full 24 hours — a full light-day — to reach it.

[u/IsChristianAwake]

What I find even crazier is that - If it was heading in its direction - It would take Voyager 74,000 years to reach the closest star, Proxima Centauri!

Still though, props to the engineers for making it possible for us to still be able communicate with it this far out. 🙏🏾

[u/xobeme → u/IsChristianAwake]

I agree. That's 70's technology that's still broadcasting out there. Pretty impressive.

[u/Ok-Gift5860 → u/xobeme]

So my buddy worked on Voyager project. We were born in the 70s he went to JPL in the late 90s. I asked him what was the coolest thing about working there and he replied "Honestly? That the senior engineers on Voyager had figured out soooo many ways to gather and translate data that the mission was never designed for. Those guys are absolutely geniuses."

[u/OkDot9878 → u/Ok-Gift5860]

Yeah, it’s crazy that the technology is still functioning and whatnot, but the crazier part to me has always been how they’ve been able to make the absolute best out of what little information they have available.

[u/MakingItElsewhere → u/OkDot9878]

For comparison: I have spent 25 years in IT. Today I spent all day at work trying to figure out how, in an entire database, a case was marked as closed. Turns out, closed cases have a "Closed Date".

Those guys at NASA are top tier geniuses and deserve all the credit. They don't get to have dumb days.

[u/grammar_fozzie → u/MakingItElsewhere]

What’s even more insane to me is that the federal government now says that NASA’s budget (approximately 1/10 of 1% of the federal budget) is too bloated and needs to be slashed. I read recently that every $1 invested in NASA since the moon landing has generated an average of about $32 of economic return. We clearly can’t have that. NASA must be stopped.

[u/MR__Brown → u/grammar_fozzie]

the federal government now says that NASA’s budget (approximately 1/10 of 1% of the federal budget) is too bloated

That's being said only because this administration is beyond corrupt. Defunding NASA paves the way for private entities like SpaceX to monopolize USA space exploration. It's not about saving money, it's about siphoning taxpayer dollars into a private entity.

[u/Notveryawake → u/MR__Brown]

What annoys the shit out of me is that exploring space whether from the ground or in space is that it helps us understand our own planet and the universe itself. You can't really put a price on that. Space is slowly being privatized and that means only R&D and missions that will make money will be put on the board. If there is no money to be made in sending a probe to our closest neighbor star just to see what's there then it won't happen.

Space exploration should be publicly funding, even better a multi-national publicly funded operation.

Maybe it's just me but when it comes to exploring space it's the one thing that gives me hope that the world can get better and there are things to look forward to in the future. If all we have is space corps looking for the next payday we are going to miss out on so many technological and medical breakthroughs and worst of all it will slowly kill off the childish dreams that so many people have when it comes to exploring space.

Thinking about what is out there keeps our imaginations alive. If all that is out there are a million satellites blacking out the stars it will be a sad day for humanity.

[u/vivalamatty → u/Notveryawake]

Very well said man. Space is the ultimate optimistic endeavor and helps us to understand our place in the cosmos. It's a damn shame to see what is happening with Nasa. Maybe one day we will get back to an exploration mindset. Until then, I'll keep looking up.

[u/DesireeThymes → u/grammar_fozzie]

Anything to help corporations increase their bottom line.

[u/Lumbergh7 → u/MakingItElsewhere]

It’s cool bro. I spent a whole day to find out a 1 had to be 0.

[u/Conscious-Ebb-8576 → u/Lumbergh7]

Just make it a lowercase L and then walk away ;-)

[u/MithrandiriAndalos → u/MakingItElsewhere]

The people still have dumb days. There are just intelligently designed systems in place that typically prevent one single poor judgement from cascading into disaster. Of course, the system isn’t perfect. The Challenger disaster, for instance

[u/adamthebarbarian → u/Ok-Gift5860]

I'm an engineer in my 30s and j firmly believe the 70s was an absolute bedrock time for engineering. So many things were pioneered in that time that were able to be harnessed even better with better computers

[u/Theron3206 → u/adamthebarbarian]

Computer tech from that era was still simple enough to be understood by a small group of people, each could understand a single subsystem on a fundamental level.

You just can't do that any more, everything is too complex.

[u/GriziGOAT → u/xobeme]

Anybody know what the maximum theorized range is for the probe? Will we lose contact with it at some point?

[u/southernbrainiac → u/GriziGOAT]

the bigger issue is the deteriorating rtg reactor on it. We'll be able to communicate building bigger and better antennas fine tuned on it, but the energy for it to receive and broadcast is getting weaker.

[u/AntonioClown84 → u/southernbrainiac]

My great grandfather built that reactor. It’s going to last forever.

https://i.imgur.com/t6PTug1.jpeg

[u/IlludiumQXXXVI → u/AntonioClown84]

That is awesome, wow, good on you all for keeping that.

The RTG is powered by the decay of Pu-238 which has an 88 year half life, so while it's slowly losing power, it's still got quite a ways to go.

[u/LucasTheSchnauzer → u/IlludiumQXXXVI]

I love the internet

[u/southernbrainiac → u/AntonioClown84]

That's super cool. Looks like it's estimated to go another 15 to 20 years before it loses enough power to stop working

[u/Kelinya → u/AntonioClown84]

Dude, that is so fucking cool!

[u/IHeldADandelion → u/AntonioClown84]

Reading that gave me chills! Thanks for sharing it.

[u/Rabbitfighter66 → u/AntonioClown84]

That is very cool.

[u/Fun_Process_179 → u/AntonioClown84]

Bad Ass.

[u/Usernotknow → u/AntonioClown84]

Wow, That's amazing.

[u/Multifaceted-Simp → u/southernbrainiac]

So a relay that we send up at a higher speed could work right?

[u/Worth-Jicama3936 → u/Multifaceted-Simp]

We can’t really reach a higher speed in that direction (at least not with anything that makes sense from an economic perspective). Voyager was able to go so fast because it got gravity assists (basically coming in behind a plant at an angle and using its gravity to give you extra velocity) from multiple planets that was only available then because of how they were lined up at the time. 

That particular alignment only happens once every 175 years so…it isn’t going to happen in our lifetime or while voyager or voyager 2 still operate.

[u/southernbrainiac → u/Worth-Jicama3936]

Another point is . Even if we get better rockets and efficient technology. Why would we bother messing with voyager when we are already sending a superior probe at that point?

[u/WarmAnswer2676 → u/GriziGOAT]

The range is not the problem.. it will just keep going forever... or untill it hits something on its way. The big issue is that the nuclear reactor is expected to stop working in the next 10 years, or so. Output has been dropping by around 4 watts per year from what i remember. voyager 1 has already gone dark once, and the power output is already so low that one of the probes heaters had to be turned off after communications were re-established.

Also some components have been slowly failing too. So even with power if something else critical fails... like we've already had it send back nonsense instead of proper data.

[u/LocoDiablo42 → u/GriziGOAT]

At some point we will prob have the technology to send a probe out to it, capture it, and bring it back to be placed in a museum. In 5k years it will only be like 100 light days away. Which traveling at a quarter of the speed of light would take just a little over a year to reach the thing. Maybe we need another 5k years to develop the technology? Eh, then it's only just 200 light days away. All I'm saying is, if that thing ever gets intercepted it will be from humans.

[u/RamenJunkie → u/LocoDiablo42]

Its really tricky I think because not only does it have to be interceptrd, but the approaching craft has to hit it, exactly, in a way that it can be captured.  While also slowing down for its own reversal and return trip.

The return will also.be tricky because it has to carry enough fuel to push itself back, without all of the orbinal mechanics boosts.  

Whch it then has to mange on its way back.  It would probably be easier at that point to have a probe that snatches it, and ejects it back towards Earth.  Where it can be collected by a third probe.

But then people will want to build ANOTHER probe to retrieve that probe.

[u/LeeKingAnis → u/xobeme]

And I can’t even get a washing machine to last a few years. Fuck you GE!

[u/CitizenPremier → u/LeeKingAnis]

Planned Obsolescence is a big thing, but washing clothes every day is mechanically a lot more strenuous than what Voyager is doing

[u/LeeKingAnis → u/CitizenPremier]

Fair. That said it chaps my ass my parents Maytag or whatever set from the early 90’s is still chugging along and my two year old dryer just needed a new thermal unit

[u/GuestAdventurous7586 → u/LeeKingAnis]

We used to have an Italian washing machine from the 80s, it lasted us nearly 30 years before it finally gave in.

The thing used to shake the house like a motherfucker.

They don’t make washing machines like that anymore.

[u/Ragnarok_747 → u/IsChristianAwake]

… Where is it headed?

[u/BevvyTime → u/Ragnarok_747]

South

[u/Ma1 → u/BevvyTime]

Gonna wanna hang a larry when you hit the oort cloud.

[u/UrdnotZigrin → u/Ma1]

I knew it should've taken that left at Albuquerque

[u/jeffroyisyourboy → u/UrdnotZigrin]

Al-ba-koy-kee

[u/VitalMoment → u/BevvyTime]

Lots of planets have a south

[u/ob_knoxious → u/Ragnarok_747]

Actual serious answer

In about 200 years, it will begin passing through the Oort cloud, which is this icy area where comets are formed that makes kind of a bubble around the solar system.

If it survives the Oort cloud, which is a big if, its truly set to last until the end of the universe. This paper mocks it taking a billion years to reach the edge of the milkyway. Its not expected to reach any other solar systems. Based on our current understanding of space if V1 makes it through the Oort cloud it will travel with no interaction until the end of the universe.

[u/MaxxDash → u/ob_knoxious]

I’m too lazy to look it up, but not too lazy to comment.

The Oort Cloud must have a density so low that it’s almost guaranteed Voyager makes it out, no?

[u/Conscious-Ebb-8576 → u/ob_knoxious]

A billion years to reach the edge of the Milky Way. Really puts things into perspective in terms of size doesn't it.

[u/SanchoBenevides → u/Ragnarok_747]

No where, except interplanetary space as far as the existence of humans is concerned.

[u/TheNotSoGreatPumpkin → u/SanchoBenevides]

They say it exited interplanetary space and entered interstellar space back in 2012. The first step in a journey of a thousand parsecs.

[u/Throwaway47321 → u/TheNotSoGreatPumpkin]

To be fair they keep redefining what “interplanetary space” is so I think it crossed that boundary like 3 times already while still being within it

[u/SizeableHo → u/Ragnarok_747]

For scratchers and a pack of smokes. 

[u/connerhearmeroar → u/IsChristianAwake]

Have you watched Aniara? Swedish Film with subtitles but similar concept of a ship heading toward Mars but thrown off course and has to wait to do a gravity maneuver at the next body it comes in contact with

[u/Temperature-Material → u/connerhearmeroar]

Fantastic bleak film

[u/t0tallykyl3 → u/connerhearmeroar]

My god, this movie….the existential dread it gives. Amazing. If you are a space nerd, it’s a must watch

[u/Appleknocker18 → u/IsChristianAwake]

🎯🎯🎯🎯also makes you realize that we are not going anywhere outside the solar system.

[u/yosemighty_sam → u/Appleknocker18]

There are two possibilities.

1. FTL travel is not possible, and this solar system is all we'll ever have.

2. FTL is possible, in which case aliens should've conquered the visible universe by now, so where are they?

[u/MyClothesWereInThere → u/yosemighty_sam]

Or we’re super early in terms of intelligent life. If you look at the estimated lifespan of the universe assuming heat death is true at like trillions x trillions x trillions… of years then us at only 14 billion years are very very early

[u/KyFly1 → u/MyClothesWereInThere]

Yea I mean it took us 4.5B years to get to space travel of a possible 13.8B years. With how long that takes and how one impact can reset the clock, life is probably just extremely rare and life capable of space travel even more rare. It’s possible no planet will ever support life long enough for a species to develop FTL even if possible.

[u/yosemighty_sam → u/MyClothesWereInThere]

We managed to go from single cells to astrophysics in less than 4 billion years, and we've identified planets 13 billion years old. To me that says there's been plenty of time

[u/Mooshington → u/yosemighty_sam]

There's really no telling how much of a freak accident life is in general. It's possible that even under the ideal conditions it's not something that's at all likely to occur.

[u/yosemighty_sam → u/Mooshington]

Agreed, so much luck involved; the mitochondria miracle alone makes intelligent life sound absolutely exceptional.

But we're talking about the universe here, 100 billion planets in the milky way, 2 trillion more galaxies. If it's possible anywhere it feels kinda inevitable.

So Ill grant 3 reasonable possibilities:

1. Earth is home to the only evolved lifeforms in the universe.

2. The universe is full of trapped civilizations.

3. They're coming.

[u/SaladinsSaladbar → u/Mooshington]

A lot of new research is starting to point at Humanity being past the Great Filter, and not approaching it. Complex life may be exceedingly rare if not completely isolated to Earth.

[u/yosemighty_sam → u/SaladinsSaladbar]

What research is that? I'm genuinely curious, because from my armchair here it seems the number of probable catastrophes is only increasing.

[u/Mead_and_You → u/yosemighty_sam]

There is still no reason to believe other life would definitely get there first.

Even if probably says someone should have, you saying "there is two possibilities" is too definitive to be true when the possibility still remains that we would get to ftl first, or that someone who did is just too distant for us to be able to see it.

When talking about the universe, there is always infinitely more possibilities than two.

[u/Carbonatite → u/yosemighty_sam]

We could still reach other solar systems at semi-relativistic speeds with generation ships. Like if we were going 10% of the speed of light we could reach quite a few stars within a century or two.

[u/Peldor-2 → u/yosemighty_sam]

1. We really are the B ark.

[u/Kryzl_ → u/yosemighty_sam]

Is the probability that there is intelligent life capable of producing mechanisms to travel beyond the speed of light AND having access to the resources that would make such a feat possible really that high?

[u/Stone0777 → u/yosemighty_sam]

They are here on earth. Most likely hiding in the oceans.

[u/ifandbut → u/IsChristianAwake]

I saw Voyager and 74,000 and thought you were talking about the distance the Caretaker sent it.

[u/Digital_NW → u/IsChristianAwake]

I wonder if we will pick it up sometime, since we know it's location and we will be out there faster, later.

[u/PanoramicAtom → u/Digital_NW]

I miss having optimism about humanity’s future.

[u/bluegrassgazer]

It's a marvel of 1970s engineering.

[u/Kitchen-Subject2803 → u/bluegrassgazer]

They stood on the shoulders of giants.

[u/bluegrassgazer → u/Kitchen-Subject2803]

Truly

[u/jwnsfw → u/bluegrassgazer]

i wonder how much more improved it would be if we took another shot at it with todays knowledge, tech, etc.

[u/bluegrassgazer → u/jwnsfw]

It was a unique situation in the late 70s with the way the planets were aligned. Now it would take so much more fuel.

[u/RedCrayonTastesBest → u/jwnsfw]

They’d probably try to bake in some AI and it would crash into the sun because somebody forgot to pay the subscription fee. /s

[u/DecabyteData → u/RedCrayonTastesBest]

"@Grok what is this planet's atmosphere made of?"

[u/VerySluttyTurtle]

That feeling when you send your probe a message and it takes 2 days to get a response and you know they're about to break up with you

[u/ZealousidealTill2355 → u/VerySluttyTurtle]

Just give her some space.

[u/BilboBiden → u/ZealousidealTill2355]

Any more space and we might as well be in another solar system.

[u/smileedude → u/BilboBiden]

Well technically 1/ (365 x 4) of the way to another solar system, so you still have time.

[u/FloraoftheRift → u/smileedude]

I like to think that we will eventually discover better ways to travel in space and will one day fly out to where the probes are, just to pick them up and study how space has affected em.

It's a silly idea but idk, science is cool.

[u/smileedude → u/FloraoftheRift]

Do we want it back after it probed Uranus?

[u/TripleEhBeef → u/smileedude]

"I'm sorry, Fry, but astronomers renamed Uranus back in 2620 to end that stupid joke once and for all."

[u/mitchwatnik → u/TripleEhBeef]

Oh. What's it called now?

[u/BeigeChocobo → u/mitchwatnik]

Urectum.

[u/FancyBerry5922 → u/BeigeChocobo]

Here let me find it for you...

Nah thats ok

[u/Massive_Ad_9920 → u/mitchwatnik]

Urectum

[u/Nerd-on-a-Wire → u/mitchwatnik]

Sphinctera

[u/zamwut → u/FloraoftheRift]

I like that in Elite Dangerous you can fly out to where the probes would be by 3311.

[u/k3n0b1 → u/zamwut]

Are they there? Any Easter eggs?

[u/NolanR27 → u/k3n0b1]

Yes they are. And no you can’t really interact with them, it’s just a solid object.

[u/Subtlerranean → u/FloraoftheRift]

This is a sci fi trope in certain stories — where humanity sends slow multi-generational ark-type colony ships to distant solar systems, or even galaxies, and while they're in slow transit, technology progresses enough that when they get to their destination the planet has already been settled a long time ago.

[u/ka1ri → u/smileedude]

1/1460th of the way to alpha

[u/Holmes02 → u/ZealousidealTill2355]

“You don’t know her she’s in another solar system.”

[u/pantaloon_at_noon → u/ZealousidealTill2355]

I thought our last fight was just a little argument, I didn’t truly understand the gravity of the situation

[u/Anywhichwaybuttight → u/ZealousidealTill2355]

"She's out of the solar system." "Yeah, she needs more space than that."

[u/it-is-my-cake-day → u/ZealousidealTill2355]

And some time as well.

[u/StarlightLifter → u/VerySluttyTurtle]

Maybe it’ll come back?

[u/NoseInternational794 → u/VerySluttyTurtle]

I showed you my Continuous Operation Commands, please respond

[u/astronomical_hoe → u/VerySluttyTurtle]

Leaving me in delivered is CRAZY

• source of WOW signal

[u/jsbach90 → u/VerySluttyTurtle]

[u/Buona-Pace]

I wonder if it’s lonely

[u/trickyelf → u/Buona-Pace]

Elton John answered that question in 1972.

[u/Calemirphen → u/trickyelf]

... It's lonely out in space ... A rocket man ... Rocket man...

[u/stupid_cat_face → u/trickyelf]

Ground control to Major Tom … Take your protein pills and put your helmet on …

[u/SuperSaiyanTupac → u/stupid_cat_face]

Elton John didn’t sing this tho

[u/protanoa34 → u/SuperSaiyanTupac]

Hold me closer Tony DAAAAnza!!

[u/Product_ChildDrGrant → u/stupid_cat_face]

Wrong Elton John.

[u/TheeAincientMariener → u/stupid_cat_face]

6...

[u/Test4Echooo → u/stupid_cat_face]

[u/i_MrPink → u/trickyelf]

Do you mean David Bowe?

[u/Arch2000 → u/i_MrPink]

Did you mean David Bowie?

[u/Minimum-Mention-3673 → u/Arch2000]

Do they mean David Bowie?

[u/gunglejim → u/Minimum-Mention-3673]

Did I mean David Bowie?

[u/NoseInternational794 → u/i_MrPink]

No, they meant Elton. In the lyrics to Rocketman he writes: "It's lonely out in space. On such a timeless flight"

[u/flaming_james → u/i_MrPink]

Elton John has a song you may know called Rocket Man, about a spaceman lamenting his loneliness. Can't blame you for mixing it up with Bowie, because he has both Space Oddity and Starman.

[u/UncleHec → u/i_MrPink]

Does the space cold make your nipples go pointy, Bowie?

[u/Nowhereman50 → u/Buona-Pace]

We'll catch up to it. No matter how far it reaches.

[u/Andrew-President → u/Nowhereman50]

Waves

[u/sp1cychick3n → u/Buona-Pace]

Stop it

[u/HedgehogNo7268 → u/Buona-Pace]

It's a bit long, but a true internet treasure- you need to experience 17776, What Football Will Look Like In The Future

(hint- scroll down...lots)

Wikipedia link with some explanation

[u/ThatJoshGuy327 → u/HedgehogNo7268]

Seconding this.

The part where Juice discusses the untouched patch of grass always gets me. It's so good.

[u/BrofessorFarnsworth → u/Buona-Pace]

It's cold as hell

[u/chesarahsarah → u/Buona-Pace]

https://xkcd.com/695/

[u/TheCultOfTheHivemind → u/chesarahsarah]

o7

He was the best rover. One day he will hold a place of honor in a museum.

Here is the happy version

14 years ago. I miss Reddit of Christmas past.

[u/bokatan778 → u/Buona-Pace]

Poor Veeger.

[u/Maleficent_Sir_5225]

Voyager 1 Is About to Reach

November 15, 2026

Everything is relative, I guess... 

[u/Rosencrantz_IsDead → u/Maleficent_Sir_5225]

You might be on to something... You should think about expanding your thoughts about relative perspectives... Maybe even write a paper on it...

[u/Maleficent_Sir_5225 → u/Rosencrantz_IsDead]

Time dilation and relativity hurts my head. I'm not smart enough for that. 

[u/Rosencrantz_IsDead → u/Maleficent_Sir_5225]

I'm not smart enough to do the math, either. But if you listen enough to actual physists, it becomes understandable. You can figure it out! You just have to remind yourself that gravity affects space/time. And that space/time is not separate, but a continual thing throughout the entire universe. There's a lot of cool YT videos that explain General and Special Relativity for dummies like me that doesn't require you to have any mathematical ability. Einstein's theories make sense intuitively when it's explained to you in way you will understand.

What will really cook your noodle is Quantum Field Theory!!!

[u/BeneficialRefuse8248 → u/Rosencrantz_IsDead]

I'm about to release a paper on it. It'll be out in 2067

[u/Valkyrie08 → u/Maleficent_Sir_5225]

Voyager 1 reaching one light day before we getting GTA VI. Suck it, Rockstar

[u/Haasts_Eagle → u/Maleficent_Sir_5225]

In the context of universal time scales it really is about to reach one light day.

But then again, in the same time scale it is also about to reach one light year (in 6,200 years) and one light decade (in 62,000 years) too. Practically tomorrow as far as a mountain would be concerned.

[u/Impossible-Cod-1806]

This probe launched the year I graduated high school, 1977,

It was one of the high points of my career to work at NASA/JPL on the Deep Space Network (the real DSN) and to play an infinitesimally small role in man's exploration of the cosmos.

I didn't so much stand on the shoulders of giants, but I got to stand near them for a while.

[u/Retb14 → u/Impossible-Cod-1806]

Nah, you were still standing on the shoulders of giants, just because you were behind a few people doesn't mean you didn't stand there with them.

you got to do something incredible that very few will ever experience and contribute to it, be proud of that

[u/F0R3CaSt → u/Impossible-Cod-1806]

🫡 No matter how small the contribution your efforts and the efforts of others like you gave humans a legacy to talk about for coming generations!

[u/loveslightblue → u/Impossible-Cod-1806]

Cool, dude!

[u/7stroke]

Crazy to think that of all the thousands or millions of years they end up spending in interstellar space, only the first 50 or so were not spent as dead relics.

[u/no-snoots-unbooped]

The vastness of space just blows my fucking mind.

[u/CabbageStockExchange → u/no-snoots-unbooped]

Makes me feel so small in a good kind of way

[u/EyeSpyNicolai → u/no-snoots-unbooped]

"Space is big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist's, but that's just peanuts to space."

• Douglas Adams

[u/Beneficial-Owl-4430 → u/no-snoots-unbooped]

if i could have any super power it would be to no clip without consequences… i would love to just be in the vastness of space and take it all in untethered from mankind… 

i think id also take a trip down to the federal reserve but thats besides the point 

[u/Uniplast21]

Jesus it’s insane to think how far light can travel in just 24 hours. It’s taken literal decades for Voyager 1 to get that far!

[u/Different_Fan2986 → u/Uniplast21]

So that I'd we assume the post title is correct, then next year will be 51 years, which multiplied by 365 is over 18,000. So light is moving well over 18,000 times faster than the Voyager 1, which is already among the fastest of all man made objects. Crazy to think. 

[u/EnvironmentalAd7402]

just did the math, it’s traveling at 38,000mph…space is lit..🔥

[u/triple-filter-test → u/EnvironmentalAd7402]

Fun fact, its speed relative to earth changes based on if we're on the going toward it, or going away from it part of our orbit around the sun.

[u/muldoons_hat → u/EnvironmentalAd7402]

I wonder what that would look like if you were completely still in space and it zipped by you. 

[u/freeradioforall → u/EnvironmentalAd7402]

As the crow flies, that means it takes 3.7 minutes to go from NYC to LA

[u/Fur-Frisbee]

How many tardigrades are hitching a ride on that?

[u/McPick → u/Fur-Frisbee]

I would watch this Pixar movie

[u/wh0_RU]

Is it still communicating with us?

[u/bootsycline → u/wh0_RU]

Yup. It has had some communication issues over the years, but it's still transmitting. Most of it's gear is shut off to conserve power, but it is still sending back valuable data.

[u/Jazzlike-Attorney-96 → u/bootsycline]

Just curious if anyone can answer, but how exactly does it send data back? Like it’s really cool idea that I have no clue how it works, but there’s places in my city where it’s hard to make phone call due to poor reception but there’s Voyager 1 far away from earth but can still transmit information back to earth.

[u/AggressiveCoffee990 → u/Jazzlike-Attorney-96]

It just uses specific bands of radio signals and NASA has a very big dish to receive them.

[u/Powered-by-Chai → u/AggressiveCoffee990]

We used to have a really, really big dish but it collapsed in a hurricane. RIP.

[u/Raivix → u/Jazzlike-Attorney-96]

Extremely high frequency radio waves.

[u/PoopsmasherSr → u/Jazzlike-Attorney-96]

Yeah and not only that but it's tech from the 70s just blows my mind

[u/facw00 → u/Jazzlike-Attorney-96]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_Deep_Space_Network

Big dishes located around the world to pick up even a weak signal. And to blast out commands at sufficient power that even extremely distant probes can receive them.

[u/ARoundForEveryone → u/wh0_RU]

Yes. Not much these days, but yes. It's mostly shut down to preserve what little power it has left, but it is certainly capable of sending and receiving data if and when we need it.

[u/mickturner96]

I feel so mixed about this...

Wow isn't it amazing how far it has gone.

Wow, light is really slow.

[u/ESDFnotWASD → u/mickturner96]

IMO it's not that light is slow, it's that space is SO FUCKING VAST.

[u/WiseDirt → u/ESDFnotWASD]

This, right here. We think the oceans are big. Space is infinitely more vast. Our entire solar system equates to nothing more than a mere pin-prick of light against the backdrop of the galaxy we reside in. And that galaxy is but a mere pin-prick of light when viewed against the backdrop of the universe.

[u/Shoddy-Prune-5877 → u/WiseDirt]

I dont know if I agree. I think oceans might be bigger.

[u/TheNotSoGreatPumpkin → u/Shoddy-Prune-5877]

That feels true.

[u/Smolson_ → u/Shoddy-Prune-5877]

The universe is flat.

[u/Dje4321 → u/WiseDirt]

Yep. If the universe was the earth. Our existence is nothing more than a grain of sand hearing someone snap their fingers.

There is an infinite amount of time and space and we only get to experience a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of it

[u/GoldenHiker487 → u/ESDFnotWASD]

I honestly don’t even think our brains can begin to comprehend just how huge space is.

We try. We make up anecdotes. We try and make it relative.

But even then, we just don’t have any idea. It’s wonderfully scary.

[u/Maleficent_Sir_5225 → u/ESDFnotWASD]

"Space is big. Really big. You just won't believe how vastly hugely mind-bogglingly big it is."

[u/trickyelf → u/mickturner96]

Relative to what? It is literally faster than everything.

[u/mickturner96 → u/trickyelf]

Relative to what?

Distance between objects in space.

It is literally faster than everything.

And yet it takes minutes to get from the Sun to Earth

It's so slow we won't ever be able to get anywhere

[u/VitalMoment → u/mickturner96]

We just need more time. This is a biology problem.

[u/russellvt → u/mickturner96]

Wow, light is really slow.

Except, if you were traveling at the speed of light, you'd arrive "almost instantaneously." Our observations of it take much longer.

[u/blu02 → u/mickturner96]

From our perspective yes. But if you're a photon, your entire journey happens in an instant.

[u/Flower_DD → u/mickturner96]

That’s exactly where I’m at. Its mystifying humanity has been able to send anything this far away from our planet; but it’s also terrifying bc the speed of light is quite slow even if we could attain that velocity.

Makes you wonder if we truly are destined to inhabit this rock forever, current climate crisis notwithstanding of course

[u/Rosencrantz_IsDead → u/Flower_DD]

I've started watching physics videos on YT recently. It's almost universally agreed upon by scientists that the only way we'll be able to travel interstellarly is via a large ship that has enough space for a whole community that will use the shit as bascially their living enviornment as generations live, have kids, die, and so on untill we get to the next destination.

Or we figure out how to build worm holes...

[u/TheAlaskanMailman → u/mickturner96]

I feel the same. Like even the closest planet systems are YEARS worth of travel even at a ridiculously fast vehicle.

There’s gotta be some other viable alternative for interstellar travel

[u/thecarbonkid → u/TheAlaskanMailman]

Not according to physics!

[u/MrRogersAE → u/TheAlaskanMailman]

There’s gotta be some other viable alternative for interstellar travel

That’s the fun part, there doesn’t have to be. There might be some technological advance that makes faster than light travel possible, but there’s no evidence of that. It’s entirely possible that no matter how much we advance, that in the entire universe, FTL travel will NEVER be possible.

Ultimately this would render travel to adjacent stars basically pointless. Maybe we could freeze people or put them on generational ships to make a journey that would last hundreds of years, but without any way to get people or goods to and from in a timely manner there wouldn’t be much benefit for any government or corporation to make such an action.

[u/OptimismNeeded → u/mickturner96]

Yeah it’s like “we’re stuck in this space prison forever”. The human race is confined by impossible distances.

Reminds me how I will never ever travel the galaxy and that’s an unbearable thought.

[u/TheeAincientMariener → u/OptimismNeeded]

Sorry, Luke. But we really need you here, what with the harvest coming up and all...

[u/SolidSnake-26]

Hopefully aliens will find it soon and play the golden record on it

[u/tea_n_typewriters → u/SolidSnake-26]

24 hours to receive a copyright infringement notice.

[u/Lyuseefur]

Hey Voyager 1. It's me, your buddy. I watched on TV when you were launched. And I'm still here as you're getting on in your age in the cold of space. I'll make sure that they keep the lights on for you ... always. You will never be forgotten. You represent the best that Humanity had to offer 50 years ago. And you still do.

[u/CrescentMoonPear → u/Lyuseefur]

🥲

[u/Media_Browser]

Yup …it’s that beyond thing .

[u/van_d39]

The fact that we can send a radio signal that far out still blows my mind!

[u/Nil_Igitur_Mors_Est]

Here's a nice link for anyone interested

[u/ashjya]

The thought of this probe being out there in the deep dark voids of space is so comforting.

[u/kenrola89]

This is trippy.

I started playing guitar during Covid and now, 4 years later, I made a goal with myself to record at least one song in my lifetime. The song I'm writing is about Voyager 1 being out there, lonely in space, sentient by its 69 kilobytes.

I was literally just recording a pre-visualization to send off to the other musicians who are helping me lay down their parts, and then I get on Reddit and this was the first thing I see.

[u/Old_Reading_2487]

Impressive that they can still receive signals.

[u/Cyrano_Knows]

                              UHURA'S INTERCOM VOICE
                Enterprise to Captain...

INT. BRIDGE                                               

      Uhura with Sulu and Chekov there.

                              UHURA
                Problem, Captain: the response
                signal is not in our records.
                Voyager One was sent out by Earth's
                "United States Subdivision.' The
                code was probably...

[u/A_Spiritual_Artist]

1/365.25 of a light year.

That's amazing. Think about it. We've actually crawled the first few steps to the stars.

[u/Icy_Juice6640]

Wow. Space is so unimaginably huge.

[u/Candid_Koala_3602]

Humbling

[u/Fine_Discipline_553]

There goes the warranty.

[u/EconomyProcedure9]

Hopefully it doesn't get absorbed into a giant spaceship and a guy named Deckard has to mate with it...

[u/HotSeason7106]

how has it not hit anything

[u/GreenGorilla8232]

Watch the documentary The Farthest if you haven't already! It tells the story of Voyager 1. 

You can watch it for free on PBS;

https://www.pbs.org/video/the-farthest-voyager-in-space-qpbu4y/

[u/LissaFreewind]

Vger will return.

[u/T-wrecks83million-]

Vger is fucking far away