VOYAGER LEAVES THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
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| Title: | VOYAGER LEAVES THE SOLAR SYSTEM. |
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| Authors: | BARTELS, MEGHAN (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Scientific American. Spring/Summer2026 Special, Vol. 35 Issue 2, p90-97. 8p. 9 Color Photographs. |
| Subjects: | Voyager program, Heliosphere, Space probes, Solar wind, Interstellar medium, Outer planets, United States. National Aeronautics & Space Administration |
| Abstract: | This article focuses on the Voyager spacecraft missions and their groundbreaking contributions to understanding the boundary of interstellar space and the heliosphere, the region influenced by the sun’s solar wind and magnetic field. Launched in 1977, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 conducted historic flybys of the outer planets before crossing the termination shock and heliopause, entering interstellar space in 2012 and 2018 respectively. Their data have revealed unexpected complexities about the heliosphere’s structure and its interaction with the interstellar medium, challenging previous assumptions. Complementary missions like NASA’s Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) and the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) continue to study this region remotely, while future missions such as New Horizons and proposed interstellar probes aim to expand direct exploration. Despite the aging Voyagers nearing the end of their operational lives, their unique observations remain invaluable for advancing heliophysics and interstellar research. [Extracted from the article] |
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| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | This article focuses on the Voyager spacecraft missions and their groundbreaking contributions to understanding the boundary of interstellar space and the heliosphere, the region influenced by the sun’s solar wind and magnetic field. Launched in 1977, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 conducted historic flybys of the outer planets before crossing the termination shock and heliopause, entering interstellar space in 2012 and 2018 respectively. Their data have revealed unexpected complexities about the heliosphere’s structure and its interaction with the interstellar medium, challenging previous assumptions. Complementary missions like NASA’s Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) and the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) continue to study this region remotely, while future missions such as New Horizons and proposed interstellar probes aim to expand direct exploration. Despite the aging Voyagers nearing the end of their operational lives, their unique observations remain invaluable for advancing heliophysics and interstellar research. [Extracted from the article] |
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| ISSN: | 00368733 |
