Voyager Missions: Exploring the Edge of Our Solar System

Written by: Keya Gambhir

Imagine taking a journey so far that you could look back and see our Sun as just another star in the sky. That’s exactly what the Voyager spacecraft are doing right now. Launched over 45 years ago, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 are two amazing spacecraft sent to explore the outer planets of our solar system, and now they are traveling even beyond it.

The story begins in 1977. Voyager 2 was launched first on August 20, followed by Voyager 1 on September 5. These spacecraft were designed to visit Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, taking pictures and collecting data to help scientists understand these distant worlds. Both Voyagers were launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida, USA, and were unmanned, meaning no astronauts were aboard.

Voyager 1 reached Jupiter on March 5, 1979, after traveling 650 million kilometers. Voyager 2 arrived a few months later because it took a longer path. At Jupiter, the spacecraft studied the planet and its moons closely. One of the most exciting discoveries was the Great Red Spot, a giant storm three times the size of Earth. Voyager also spotted active volcanoes on Io, one of Jupiter’s moons.

After Jupiter, both spacecraft headed to Saturn. There, they discovered thousands of tiny ringlets in Saturn’s rings and studied the huge moon Titan. Titan’s thick atmosphere looked a lot like Earth’s might have looked billions of years ago, before life existed. Scientists wondered whether this moon could one day support life. Voyager 2 went even further, visiting Uranus and Neptune. Along the way, the spacecraft discovered 10 new moons around Uranus and six around Neptune, increasing our knowledge of these distant planets.

But the Voyagers’ mission did not end with the planets. After completing their planetary tours, both spacecraft kept moving outward, beyond the Sun’s influence. According to NASA, as of early 2025, Voyager 1 is nearly 25.0 billion kilometers from the Sun, while Voyager 2 is about 22.7 billion kilometers away. These numbers show just how far humans have sent objects into space.

The ultimate goal of the Voyager missions goes beyond just studying planets. Scientists also wanted to learn about the outer edges of our solar system and what lies beyond it. Voyager carries instruments that measure cosmic rays, magnetic fields, and solar winds, giving us information about a part of space humans will probably never visit.

Voyager’s mission also includes a very special message for anyone or anything that might find it. Each spacecraft carries a “Golden Record,” a collection of sounds, music, and images from Earth. It is like a time capsule, showing the story of humanity to the universe. The record includes greetings in 55 languages, songs from around the world, and pictures of life on Earth. If another intelligent life form ever finds Voyager, they would get a glimpse of what Earth is like.

Eventually, the Voyagers will reach the Oort Cloud, a distant area filled with trillions of icy objects that orbit the Sun far beyond Neptune. But do not worry, the chances of hitting one of these comets are extremely small, much smaller than winning the lottery. It will take the spacecraft hundreds of years to reach the inner edge of this mysterious region.

Even after more than four decades in space, both Voyagers are still sending back data to Earth. Some of their instruments have been turned off to save power, but others are still working, helping scientists learn about the mysteries of interstellar space.

The Voyager missions show just how far human curiosity and technology can take us. They remind us that exploration is not just about what is close to home, it is about reaching for the unknown and learning more about the universe we live in. Thanks to Voyager 1 and Voyager 2, we now know more about our solar system than anyone could have imagined, and they continue to travel into the unknown, carrying a piece of Earth with them.

So next time you look up at the stars, remember that somewhere out there, two tiny spacecraft are floating farther from Earth than anyone has ever gone, exploring the edge of the solar system and beyond.