Voyager I is leaving the neighborhood

[Binky]

So what exactly propels the voyager? I looked at that the link u posted about its instruments and I was just curious what got it to 38k mph and does it need constant propulsion.

Initally? Rocket fuel. But it got up to its current velocity with gravity slingshots by doing flybys on Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus (v2) and Neptune (v2).

http://www.theplanetstoday.com/voyager_flight_path.html

Its still amazing to think that at this pint, these two creations of mankind are 11,666,599,188 miles away from earth and traveling at 11 miles per second. 11.6 Billion miles.

[Tannerm]

Initally? Rocket fuel. But it got up to its current velocity with gravity slingshots by doing flybys on Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus (v2) and Neptune (v2).

http://www.theplanetstoday.com/voyager_flight_path.html

Its still amazing to think that at this pint, these two creations of mankind are 11,666,599,188 miles away from earth and traveling at 11 miles per second. 11.6 Billion miles.

OK thx. Another question. At those speeds and the thing seemingly made of tin foil, what is keeping it from ripping into shreds at that speed? Not well versed in this stuff sorry.

[Binky]

OK thx. Another question. At those speeds and the thing seemingly made of tin foil, what is keeping it from ripping into shreds at that speed? Not well versed in this stuff sorry.

Its in space. There is no air resistance in a vaccum (ok, near vaccum). The effect on the craft at 100,000 miles per second or 10 miles per second is the same. Aerodynamics only matter in an atmosphere.

Its not made of tin foil, its pretty stout. In fact, when it flew by jupiter, if a human was riding it, they would have taken a lethal radiation dose 1000 times over.

Whats most interesting is how cold it is. The metal is just a few degrees above absolute zero. If anything impacts it, it will likely shatter like T2. The likelihood that it hits anything is extremely remote, but thats what exploration is all about.

[sc281]

So what exactly propels the voyager? I looked at that the link u posted about its instruments and I was just curious what got it to 38k mph and does it need constant propulsion.

Plutonium, but that is expected to only last to 2025

[Craizie]

Plutonium, but that is expected to only last to 2025

I thought that was just it's power source?

[sc281]

I thought that was just it's power source?

Sorry. I was just skimming his post and somehow I read propels as powers.

[racrguy]

Science. That shit WORKS!