When you buy through links in our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn commission. An illustration shows a comet exiting the solar system after encountering Saturn. | Credit: Robert Lea (Created with Canva) Scientists have discovered a comet heading out of the Solar System after a close encounter with Saturn. The comet, dubbed… Read More »
Ed Stone, former JPL director and Voyager mission project scientist, in front of a model of one of the Voyager spacecraft. The gold plaque can be seen over his left shoulder. Credit – NASA/JPL Caltech STeve Synnott never forgot the day he let Ed Stone name the moon. The year was 1980, and Synnott was… Read More »
Scientists believe Earth may have briefly lost its protection from the sun about two million years ago, left to endure the extreme environment of interstellar space, as the solar system passed through a dense cloud of gas and dust between stars. At that time, early human ancestors shared our planet with prehistoric animals such as… Read More »
When a malfunction occurs in the loneliest spacecraft in the universe, it’s not just a matter of turning it off and on again. Voyager 1, the first human-made object to leave the Solar System in 2012, went silent in November, meaning no science or engineering data would be sent back to Earth. The probe was… Read More »
It’s been several months since one of humanity’s most successful spacecraft, the Voyager 1 probe, stopped talking to us, and although they remain somewhat hopeful, Voyager mission scientists are preparing for the worst: A farewell. “It’s sad and disappointing that the spacecraft is still operating but quiet,” Voyager mission assurance manager Bruce Wagoner told Space.com… Read More »
NASA’s Voyager spacecraft are the furthest human-made objects from Earth.NASA/JPL-Caltech NASA’s Voyager 1 and 2 are the only human-made objects to reach interstellar space. The two probes were launched in 1977 and may soon lose communication with Earth. NASA hopes to stay in touch with the probes at least until the 50th anniversary in 2027.… Read More »