Context:
NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft, currently in interstellar space, is facing communication difficulties caused by an antenna misalignment.
Relevance:
GS III: Science and Technology
Dimensions of the Article:
- About Voyager 2 Spacecraft
- Interstellar Space
About Voyager 2 Spacecraft:
- Launch: Voyager 2 was launched by NASA on August 20, 1977, as part of the Voyager program, alongside Voyager 1.
- Mission: Its primary mission was to study the outer planets of our solar system and their moons before embarking on an interstellar mission.
- Interstellar Space: On December 10, 2018, Voyager 2 became the second spacecraft to enter interstellar space, following its twin Voyager 1.
- Golden Record: Voyager 2 carries a Golden Record, a phonograph record containing sounds and images from Earth, intended as a message to potential extraterrestrial civilizations.
Firsts:
- Voyager 2 is the only spacecraft to have closely studied all four of the solar system’s giant planets.
- It discovered a 14th moon at Jupiter and found 10 new moons and two new rings at Uranus.
- Voyager 2 was the first human-made object to fly by Uranus and Neptune.
- At Neptune, it discovered five moons, four rings, and a feature known as the “Great Dark Spot.”
Interstellar Space:
- Definition: Interstellar space, also referred to as the interstellar medium or interstellar void, is the immense expanse of space that exists between stars within a galaxy.
- Characteristics: It is a region where the gravitational and magnetic fields of individual stars have minimal influence, creating a space devoid of significant celestial bodies.
- Composition: Interstellar space mainly consists of very low-density gas, dust particles, cosmic rays (high-energy particles from outer space), and magnetic fields.
-Source: Hindustan Times
