# Voyager 2

> space probe launched by NASA to study the outer Solar System, second furthest spacecraft from Earth after Voyager 1

**Wikidata**: [Q48475](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q48475)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyager_2)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/voyager-2

## Summary  
Voyager 2 is a NASA space probe launched in 1977 to study the outer Solar System and interstellar space, becoming the second-most distant human-made object after Voyager 1. It conducted flybys of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, providing unprecedented data on these planets. As of 2024, it remains operational in interstellar space.  

## Key Facts  
- **Launch Date**: August 20, 1977, at 14:29:44 UTC from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 41.  
- **Operator**: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).  
- **Manufacturer**: Jet Propulsion Laboratory.  
- **Launch Vehicle**: Titan IIIE (serial number 23E-7).  
- **Mass**: 815 kg at launch (1977); 735 kg as of 2022.  
- **Speed**: 15.37414 km/s as of June 16, 2024.  
- **Distance from Earth**: 136.10 astronomical units (AU) as of June 16, 2024.  
- **Preceded By**: Voyager 1.  
- **Power Source**: 3 MHW-RTG units.  
- **Flyby Targets**: Jupiter (1979), Saturn (1981), Uranus (1986), Neptune (1989).  

## FAQs  
### Q: Where is Voyager 2 now?  
A: As of June 16, 2024, Voyager 2 is approximately 136.10 AU from Earth, traveling at 15.37414 km/s in interstellar space.  

### Q: When was Voyager 2 launched?  
A: Voyager 2 launched on August 20, 1977, at 14:29:44 UTC.  

### Q: What is Voyager 2’s mission?  
A: Its primary mission was to study the outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune) and their moons. It now explores the heliosphere and interstellar medium.  

## Why It Matters  
Voyager 2 revolutionized our understanding of the outer Solar System through unprecedented close observations of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. It is the only spacecraft to have visited Uranus and Neptune, revealing their atmospheric compositions, magnetic fields, and moons. After completing its planetary mission, Voyager 2 entered interstellar space in 2018, joining Voyager 1 in studying the boundary between the Sun’s influence and interstellar space. Its durability—it remains operational 47 years after launch—demonstrates engineering excellence, and its Golden Record preserves a snapshot of humanity for potential extraterrestrial life.  

## Notable For  
- First spacecraft to observe all four giant planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune).  
- Only probe to conduct close flybys of Uranus and Neptune.  
- Carries the Golden Record, a cultural artifact representing humanity.  
- Entered interstellar space on November 5, 2018.  
- Longest-operating spacecraft, with ongoing communication as of 2024.  

## Body  
### Mission Overview  
Voyager 2 launched on August 20, 1977, aboard a Titan IIIE rocket from Cape Canaveral. Part of NASA’s Voyager program, it followed Voyager 1 but took a slower trajectory to enable flybys of all four outer planets. Its primary mission ended in 1989 after the Neptune flyby, but it continues to transmit data on the outer heliosphere and interstellar environment.  

### Design and Instruments  
- **Mass**: 815 kg at launch, powered by three MHW-RTG units generating 470 W at launch (420 W as of 2022).  
- **Instruments**: Included an infrared interferometer spectrometer and radiometer to analyze planetary atmospheres.  
- **Communication**: Uses a 3.7-meter high-gain antenna, transmitting data at ~160 bits per second as of 2024.  

### Key Milestones  
- **Jupiter Flyby**: July 9, 1979 (closest approach: 721,670 km).  
- **Saturn Flyby**: August 25, 1981 (closest approach: 161,000 km).  
- **Uranus Flyby**: January 24, 1986 (closest approach: 107,000 km).  
- **Neptune Flyby**: August 24, 1989 (closest approach: 29,240 km).  
- **Interstellar Space Entry**: November 5, 2018.  

### Legacy  
Voyager 2’s discoveries reshaped planetary science, including the detection of Uranus’ highly tilted magnetic field and Neptune’s Great Dark Spot. Its extended mission provides critical data on the Sun’s influence at the edge of the Solar System. The probe carries a Golden Record with sounds, images, and music of Earth, symbolizing humanity’s curiosity and unity. Despite diminishing power, NASA expects Voyager 2 to operate until around 2025, cementing its role as a pioneering ambassador of Earth.

## References

1. [Source](https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/voyager.htm)
2. Jonathan's Space Report
3. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
4. [Source](https://pds.nasa.gov/ds-view/pds/viewMissionProfile.jsp?MISSION_NAME=VOYAGER)
5. [Source](https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status/)
6. [Source](https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/frequently-asked-questions/)
7. [Source](https://naif.jpl.nasa.gov/pub/naif/toolkit_docs/C/req/naif_ids.html)