It Takes Over 16 Hours For A Signal Travelling At The Speed Of Light To Get From Earth To The Voyager Spacecrafts
Fact of the day: It takes over 16 hours for a signal travelling at the speed of light to get from earth to the voyager spacecrafts.
I personally think that the things achieved in space exploration are the most remarkable achievements in the history of human kind. From the first (non-natural) satellite to orbit the earth, the Russian Sputnik 1 in 1957, to the spacecraft Voyager 1 eventually leaving the solar system in 2012.
Having been to the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida and recently visited the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex (both of which I would recommend to anyone to visit) I have really learnt to appreciate the significance of space exploration. When I was at the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex, the largest dish in the complex was communicating with one of the Mars rovers, but only a few hours later it would be communicating with Voyager 1, which isn't even in our solar system. I think that is simply mind blowing.
(below) The largest dish in the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex, at 70 metres in diameter. This image was taken by me when I visited the complex.
My favourite programs/missions/spacecrafts of space exploration are the Apollo Program, the Cassini-Huygens mission, the Pioneer Program, and the Voyager spacecrafts.
The Apollo Program is probably the most famous, as the outcome of the program was televised to the whole world, which was the first man stepping on the moon. Only 12 people have ever walked on the moon, all of which were part of the Apollo Program. The record of the farthest person from Earth was also set in the Apollo Program when the spacecraft orbited around the moon.
(below) The actual landing capsule used by one of the Apollo missions. This image was taken by me when I visited the Kennedy Space Centre.
The Cassini-Huygens mission has been running since 1997, and was sent to Saturn, for Cassini to orbit Saturn, and the Huygens spacecraft to study Saturn's moon Titan. Cassini will have the most dramatic ending of all spacecrafts. It is currently orbiting Saturn for the final several times. Its 'grande finale' will happen in September this year, when the spacecraft dives into Saturn's atmosphere.
(below) An image taken by Cassini of Saturn. Image from NASA.
The Pioneer Program was designed to explore various aspects of the solar system. It began in 1958, and some of the spacecrafts are still communicating with Earth today. Pioneer spacecrafts 1 to 5 were used as lunar research spacecrafts. Pioneer spacecrafts 6 to 9 were used to study the planets in the inner solar system, and flybys of Jupiter and Saturn. Pioneer spacecrafts 10 and 11 were used to study the outer solar system, and the interstellar medium.
The Voyager Program is my favourite program, just simply because Voyager 1 was the first human made object to leave the solar system. Voyager 1 and 2, the spacecrafts that are part of the Voyager program originally were part of the Mariner Program, and were later renamed to Voyager 1 and 2. The Voyager spacecrafts are the fastest spacecrafts, travelling at over 62,000 km/h. They are currently around 138 astronomical units away from the sun, and travelling in interstellar space. The Voyager spacecrafts were launched in 1977. They communicate with the Deep Space Communication Network regularly, and are expected to run until 2025, when the electricity generators will no longer supply enough power to operate their scientific instruments.
(below) The Pale Blue Dot image of Earth taken by Voyager 1, from 6 billion km away, which is around 40 astronomical units.
By Voyager 1 - http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view.php?id=52392, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4400327
If you look closely, you can see Earth as a blue dot in this image.
I personally think that the things achieved in space exploration are the most remarkable achievements in the history of human kind. From the first (non-natural) satellite to orbit the earth, the Russian Sputnik 1 in 1957, to the spacecraft Voyager 1 eventually leaving the solar system in 2012.
Having been to the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida and recently visited the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex (both of which I would recommend to anyone to visit) I have really learnt to appreciate the significance of space exploration. When I was at the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex, the largest dish in the complex was communicating with one of the Mars rovers, but only a few hours later it would be communicating with Voyager 1, which isn't even in our solar system. I think that is simply mind blowing.
(below) The largest dish in the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex, at 70 metres in diameter. This image was taken by me when I visited the complex.
My favourite programs/missions/spacecrafts of space exploration are the Apollo Program, the Cassini-Huygens mission, the Pioneer Program, and the Voyager spacecrafts.
The Apollo Program is probably the most famous, as the outcome of the program was televised to the whole world, which was the first man stepping on the moon. Only 12 people have ever walked on the moon, all of which were part of the Apollo Program. The record of the farthest person from Earth was also set in the Apollo Program when the spacecraft orbited around the moon.
(below) The actual landing capsule used by one of the Apollo missions. This image was taken by me when I visited the Kennedy Space Centre.
The Cassini-Huygens mission has been running since 1997, and was sent to Saturn, for Cassini to orbit Saturn, and the Huygens spacecraft to study Saturn's moon Titan. Cassini will have the most dramatic ending of all spacecrafts. It is currently orbiting Saturn for the final several times. Its 'grande finale' will happen in September this year, when the spacecraft dives into Saturn's atmosphere.
(below) An image taken by Cassini of Saturn. Image from NASA.
The Pioneer Program was designed to explore various aspects of the solar system. It began in 1958, and some of the spacecrafts are still communicating with Earth today. Pioneer spacecrafts 1 to 5 were used as lunar research spacecrafts. Pioneer spacecrafts 6 to 9 were used to study the planets in the inner solar system, and flybys of Jupiter and Saturn. Pioneer spacecrafts 10 and 11 were used to study the outer solar system, and the interstellar medium.
The Voyager Program is my favourite program, just simply because Voyager 1 was the first human made object to leave the solar system. Voyager 1 and 2, the spacecrafts that are part of the Voyager program originally were part of the Mariner Program, and were later renamed to Voyager 1 and 2. The Voyager spacecrafts are the fastest spacecrafts, travelling at over 62,000 km/h. They are currently around 138 astronomical units away from the sun, and travelling in interstellar space. The Voyager spacecrafts were launched in 1977. They communicate with the Deep Space Communication Network regularly, and are expected to run until 2025, when the electricity generators will no longer supply enough power to operate their scientific instruments.
(below) The Pale Blue Dot image of Earth taken by Voyager 1, from 6 billion km away, which is around 40 astronomical units.
By Voyager 1 - http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view.php?id=52392, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4400327
If you look closely, you can see Earth as a blue dot in this image.
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