Voyager 1 has left the Solar System.

[starrymarkb]

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/09/voyager-left-solar-system/

NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft, which toured the outer solar system in 1979, has officially entered interstellar space and is now more than 19 billion kilometers from our sun, nearly 130 times farther away than our planet. An announcement today from NASA scientists confirms that the probe has entered a region of space that is outside our sun’s electromagnetic influence.

 

[Darandio]

Truly remarkable.

60's/70's technology to rival the HST*

Not the telescope.

 

[Eagle]

This is the third or fourth time it's "left the solar system". Because people keep using different definitions of where the solar system actually ends.

 

[Morden Via CHX]

Cue jokes about people hoping the Voyagers would leave the solar system...

 

[Eagle]

Cue jokes about people hoping the Voyagers would leave the solar system...

Whereas the obsolescent HST will keep on going long after anyone has any purpose for it :P

 

[D365]

Whereas the obsolescent HST will keep on going long after anyone has any purpose for it :P

Definitely not the train then. Please make the distinction clear, all

I find it appropriate how starrymarkb has started this thread tbh ;D

It's great how resilient the probes have been, lasting well beyond their design life. Rather like HST. (Do I need to make the distinction?)
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Cue jokes about people hoping the Voyagers would leave the solar system...

*Like*

 

[Yew]

This is the third or fourth time it's "left the solar system". Because people keep using different definitions of where the solar system actually ends.

I thought that was voyager 2 that left first, and that a previous announcement was it was roughly at the border.

Is there anything else headed for interstellar space?

 

[TheKnightWho]

I thought that was voyager 2 that left first, and that a previous announcement was it was roughly at the border.

Is there anything else headed for interstellar space?

The Pioneer probes, I believe, which are older but slower.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

What is the life-expectancy of the Voyager unit ? Is this the same unit that was featured in a Star Trek film ?

 

[D365]

What is the life-expectancy of the Voyager unit ? Is this the same unit that was featured in a Star Trek film ?

The two Voyager probes are expected to carry on transmitting data until about 2025, when the on-board power sources will have been fully consumed.

 

[yorksrob]

What is the life-expectancy of the Voyager unit ? Is this the same unit that was featured in a Star Trek film ?

I believe it was. Refurbished as Vager by an alien life form if I remember.

 

[Bungle73]

I thought that was voyager 2 that left first, and that a previous announcement was it was roughly at the border.

Is there anything else headed for interstellar space?

But they are saying this is the "first manmade object" to leave the solar system.

I think the thing is no one was really sure where the solar system ended, until these probes got there.

What is the life-expectancy of the Voyager unit ? Is this the same unit that was featured in a Star Trek film ?

No, that was Voyager 6, which never actually exisited.

Voyager 1's power supply is expected to last for another ten years.

 

[tsr]

Cue jokes about people hoping the Voyagers would leave the solar system...

Though due to an anomaly with Boundary Planet 8 tickets, they may opt to travel via Pluto.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I believe it was. Refurbished as Vager by an alien life form if I remember.

According to the subtitles on that film it was V'ger.

Yes, they have made several announcements relating to this previously, but none of them were definite. They all said "may have left" or "may be about to leave".

This time it looks definite, but do remember that the heliopause will pulsate a bit like a jellyfish depending on how active the Sun* is.



*The hot bright yellowy thing at the middle of the Solar system, not the tabloid rag!

 

[Geezertronic]

According to the Star Trek wiki (http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/V'Ger) the probe was Voyager 6 launched in the late 20th Century. I am guessing this was creative writing on the part of the Star Trek film writers as I believe there have only been two Voyager probes?