Voyager 1 in Interstellar Space: What Is It Like Out There?

Still operational more than 35 years after launch in 1977, the Voyager 1 spacecraft is now travelling in interstellar space, beyond the outer limits of the sun’s influence. Voyager 2 is not far behind, but is still in the extended solar atmosphere, and is expected to enter into the interstellar medium in the next few years. We will talk about some of the history and engineering aspects of this remarkable spacecraft (its computers use plated wire memory!), and some of its past science highlights at the four outer planets. We also review what the transition from the extended solar atmosphere to the medium between the stars has looked like so far, and what we expect to learn when Voyager 2 crosses into interstellar space.

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