Changes

|launch=August 20, 1977

|launch=August 20, 1977

|nssdcid=1977-076A

|nssdcid=1977-076A

|webpage=http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/

|webpage=https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/

|webtitle=Voyager project site

|webtitle=Voyager project site

|mass=721.9 kg

|mass=721.9 kg

== Technical specifications ==

== Technical specifications ==

Voyager 2 is actually a [[Project Mariner]] probe of mass 721.9&nbsp;kg. It derives its power from three [[Radioisotope thermoelectric generator|Radioisotope Thermal Generators]] (RTGs), which provide 420 W of power to Voyager's systems.<ref name=Bell>Bell, Edwin V. "[http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/voyager.html NASA Voyager Project Information]." National Space Science Data Center, [[NASA]], March 11, 2008. Accessed July 2, 2008.</ref>

Voyager 2 is actually a [[Project Mariner]] probe of mass 721.9&nbsp;kg. It derives its power from three [[Radioisotope thermoelectric generator|Radioisotope Thermal Generators]] (RTGs), which provide 420 W of power to Voyager's systems.<ref name=Bell>Bell, Edwin V. "[https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/voyager.html NASA Voyager Project Information]." National Space Science Data Center, [[NASA]], March 11, 2008. Accessed July 24, 2019.</ref>

== Mission history ==

== Mission history ==

In the early 1970s, NASA [[astronomy|astronomers]] realized that the outer planets would align in a manner that would allow a rocket probe to visit all four gas giants in a short time and using a small amount of fuel. This kind of favorable alignment occurs once in 175 years.<ref name=Angrum>Angrum, Andrea. "[http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/science/planetary.html Voyager - Science - Planetary Voyage]." [[Jet Propulsion Laboratory|JPL]], [[NASA]], March 23, 2004. Accessed July 2, 2008.</ref> NASA at first planned to conduct a "Grand Tour" of the gas giants using a total of four probes. But such a project was deemed too expensive, and so NASA cancelled "Project Grand Tour" and conceived of a more limited project, [[Project Voyager]], to use two probes to study [[Jupiter]], [[Saturn]], and their respective moon and ring systems only.<ref name=Angrum/> They then changed the names of the last two probes in the Mariner series to [[Voyager 1]] and Voyager 2 and prepared each for the new, limited mission.

In the early 1970s, NASA [[astronomy|astronomers]] realized that the outer planets would align in a manner that would allow a rocket probe to visit all four gas giants in a short time and using a small amount of fuel. This kind of favorable alignment occurs once in 175 years.<ref name=Angrum>Angrum, Andrea. "[https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/science/planetary-voyage/ Voyager - Science - Planetary Voyage]." [[Jet Propulsion Laboratory|JPL]], [[NASA]], March 23, 2004. Accessed July 24, 2019.</ref> NASA at first planned to conduct a "Grand Tour" of the gas giants using a total of four probes. But such a project was deemed too expensive, and so NASA cancelled "Project Grand Tour" and conceived of a more limited project, [[Project Voyager]], to use two probes to study [[Jupiter]], [[Saturn]], and their respective moon and ring systems only.<ref name=Angrum/> They then changed the names of the last two probes in the Mariner series to [[Voyager 1]] and Voyager 2 and prepared each for the new, limited mission.

Voyager 2 launched first, but on a slower trajectory so that it was the second of the two probes to arrive at Jupiter and Saturn. Mission planners also planned Voyager 2's flight path to allow it to visit Uranus and Neptune.

Voyager 2 launched first, but on a slower trajectory so that it was the second of the two probes to arrive at Jupiter and Saturn. Mission planners also planned Voyager 2's flight path to allow it to visit Uranus and Neptune.

Voyager 2 reached Uranus on January 24, 1986, and Neptune on August 25, 1989. With the Neptune flyby, the probe turned south and achieved [[escape speed]]. Voyager 2 is now flying out of the [[solar system]], headed 48 degrees "south" at a speed of 470 million kilometers per year.<ref name=Angrum/>

Voyager 2 reached Uranus on January 24, 1986, and Neptune on August 25, 1989. With the Neptune flyby, the probe turned south and achieved [[escape speed]]. Voyager 2 is now flying out of the [[solar system]], headed 48 degrees "south" at a speed of 470 million kilometers per year.<ref name=Angrum/>

The mission of Voyager 2 continues to this day (July 2, 2008) and is expected to continue for at least another decade.<ref name=Angrum/><ref name=Leech/> Voyager 2 crossed the heliosheath, or termination shock, on August 30, 2007 and thus joined Voyager 1 as one of two vessels returning data from interstellar space.<ref name=release1>"[https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/voyager/termination_shock.html Voyager 2 Proves the Solar System is Squashed]." [[NASA]] Press Release 07-78, December 10, 2007. Accessed July 2, 2008.</ref><ref name=Angrum2>Angrum, Andrea. "[http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/fastfacts.html Voyager - Mission - Fast Facts]." [[Jet Propulsion Laboratory|JPL]], [[NASA]], February 21, 2008. Accessed July 2, 2008.</ref> The mission will continue as long as its RTGs can provide sufficient power to operate its key sensors. Reliable estimates state that by 2020 Voyager 2 will no longer have enough power to run its systems.<ref name=Arnett>Arnett, Bill. "[http://www.nineplanets.org/spacecraft.html Spacecraft]." ''The <s>Nine</s>8 Planets'', January 18, 2005. Accessed July 2, 2008.</ref>

The mission of Voyager 2 continues to this day (July 2, 2008) and is expected to continue for at least another decade.<ref name=Angrum/><ref name=Leech/> Voyager 2 crossed the heliosheath, or termination shock, on August 30, 2007 and thus joined Voyager 1 as one of two vessels returning data from interstellar space.<ref name=release1>"[https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/voyager/termination_shock.html Voyager 2 Proves the Solar System is Squashed]." [[NASA]] Press Release 07-78, December 10, 2007. Accessed July 24, 2019.</ref><ref name=Angrum2>Angrum, Andrea. "[https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/frequently-asked-questions/fast-facts/ Voyager - Mission - Fast Facts]." [[Jet Propulsion Laboratory|JPL]], [[NASA]], February 21, 2008. Accessed July 24, 2019.</ref> The mission will continue as long as its RTGs can provide sufficient power to operate its key sensors. Reliable estimates state that by 2020 Voyager 2 will no longer have enough power to run its systems.<ref name=Arnett>Arnett, Bill. "[https://nineplanets.org/spacecraft.html Spacecraft]." ''The <s>Nine</s>8 Planets'', January 18, 2005. Accessed July 24, 2019.</ref>

== Scientific accomplishments ==

== Scientific accomplishments ==

* Geyser-like eruptions on [[Triton]]

* Geyser-like eruptions on [[Triton]]

The scientific findings most important to the debate between [[creationism]] and [[uniformitarianism]] were the discoveries of the magnetic fields of [[Uranus]] and [[Neptune]]. Uniformitarians had not predicted that those fields would exist. [[Russell Humphreys]] had predicted both their existence and their strength,<ref name=Humphreys>Humphreys, D. R. "[http://www.creationresearch.org/crsq/articles/21/21_3/21_3.html The Creation of Planetary Magnetic Fields]." ''[[Creation Research Society Quarterly]]'' 21(3), December 1984. Accessed April 29, 2008.</ref> and Voyager 2 vindicated his model completely.<ref name=Humphreys2>Humphreys, D. R. "[https://www.icr.org/index.php?module=articles&action=view&page=329 Beyond Neptune: Voyager II Supports Creation]." [[Institute for Creation Research]]. Accessed April 30, 2008</ref> The tremendous skew between the magnetic and rotational axes of the two gas giants surprised creationist and uniformitarian alike.<ref name=Humphreys2/>

The scientific findings most important to the debate between [[creationism]] and [[uniformitarianism]] were the discoveries of the magnetic fields of [[Uranus]] and [[Neptune]]. Uniformitarians had not predicted that those fields would exist. [[Russell Humphreys]] had predicted both their existence and their strength,<ref name=Humphreys>Humphreys, D. R. "[https://creationresearch.org/creation-planetary-magnetic-fields/?hilite=%27Creation%27%2C%27Planetary%27%2C%27Magnetic%27%2C%27Fields%27 The Creation of Planetary Magnetic Fields]." ''[[Creation Research Society Quarterly]]'' 21(3), December 1984. Accessed July 24, 2019.</ref> and Voyager 2 vindicated his model completely.<ref name=Humphreys2>Humphreys, D. R. "[https://www.icr.org/article/beyond-neptune-voyager-ii-supports-creation Beyond Neptune: Voyager II Supports Creation]." [[Institute for Creation Research]]. Accessed July 24, 2019</ref> The tremendous skew between the magnetic and rotational axes of the two gas giants surprised creationist and uniformitarian alike.<ref name=Humphreys2/>

== Gallery ==

== Gallery ==