Voyager 1: Journey and Discoveries

Voyager 1, launched in 1977, has been traveling through space for decades, exploring the outer planets and now venturing into interstellar space. Its primary mission included studying Jupiter and Saturn, revealing significant discoveries about their moons and rings. The spacecraft continues to communicate with Earth using a high-gain antenna and is powered by radioisotope thermoelectric generators. Voyager 1 carries a Golden Record, a time capsule intended for extraterrestrial life. Despite its power limitations, Voyager 1's journey embodies human curiosity and exploration, with its future path influenced by various cosmic factors.

How long will it take Voyager 1 to reach the inner boundary of the Oort Cloud at its current speed?

• 50 years

• 40,000 years

• 300 years

• 1,000 years

What significant discovery did Voyager 1 make about Jupiter's moon Io?

• It has a thick atmosphere.

• It has a faint ring system.

• It is the most volcanically active body in the solar system.

• It has a subsurface ocean.

What was the primary mission of Voyager 1?

• To map the Milky Way galaxy.

• To explore the outer planets, specifically Jupiter and Saturn.

• To study the sun's core.

• To explore the inner planets of the solar system.

When did Voyager 1 become the furthest man-made object from the Sun?

• In 1977

• In 1990

• In 1998

• In 2012

What powers Voyager 1's instruments and communication systems?

• Nuclear fusion

• Batteries

• Solar panels

• Radioisotope thermoelectric generators

What is the purpose of the Golden Record on Voyager 1?

• To portray the diversity of life and culture on Earth

• To communicate with Earth

• To power the spacecraft

• To store scientific data

What is the expected power decline of Voyager 1's RTGs annually?

• 2 watts

• 4 watts

• 1 watt

• 8 watts

Which constellation is Voyager 1 currently heading towards?

• Ophiuchus

• Cassiopeia

• Andromeda

• Orion

What factors will influence Voyager 1's trajectory over billions of years?

• Solar flares

• Gravitational encounters and interstellar medium

• Magnetic fields

• Cosmic rays

How much of the Milky Way's diameter will Voyager 1 have traveled after a few billion years?

• 5%

• 1.7%

• 10%

• 0.5%