The Voyager spacecraft program started the worlds endeavor to explore farther regions of our local solar system. The program takes in hand the idea behind the Planetary Grand Tour. In which they would utilize the rare alignment of the planets in their favor, so that the craft would take less time and fuel, having the ability to visit Jupiter and Saturn. With the main mission, the study of both Saturn, and Jupiter, including the planets’ moons, rings, and atmospheric composition. Later, one of the crafts, had the opportunity to continue its journey and Study Uranus and Neptune. The Voyager Spacecraft are among the oldest programs and farthest from earth. In 1972, NASA had the Voyager mission approved, and as early as August, 1977 they launched
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These instruments had individual functions; from taking digital photos to analyzing cosmic-rays. Power source was key in order to operate these instruments for an extended amount of time. Solar Panels were used when the craft were still able to capture light from the sun, but as soon as the energy didn’t meet the needed power requirements. The Voyagers’ would then change their power supply to radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs). The way that the generators supplied power was that they converted heat made by the radioactivity of onboard decaying plutonium into electricity. Supplying power to the spacecraft when no light was present. Along with the power provider, the programming and communication are equally important. For communication the craft was equipped with an antenna. Here in earth we have antenna arrays set up across the world in order to pick up signals sent from a spacecraft. As the crafts started drifting off farther into space the intensity of their signal has become fainter, eventually leading to building antennas with larger diameters going all the way up to 70 meters. This kind of communication used between the spacecraft and earth is, Deep Space Network (DSN). A tracking system operated by JPL for NASA in order to locate, receive and send data to these crafts. The program embedded into the spacecraft is autonomous, in order to
These instruments had individual functions; from taking digital photos to analyzing cosmic-rays. Power source was key in order to operate these instruments for an extended amount of time. Solar Panels were used when the craft were still able to capture light from the sun, but as soon as the energy didn’t meet the needed power requirements. The Voyagers’ would then change their power supply to radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs). The way that the generators supplied power was that they converted heat made by the radioactivity of onboard decaying plutonium into electricity. Supplying power to the spacecraft when no light was present. Along with the power provider, the programming and communication are equally important. For communication the craft was equipped with an antenna. Here in earth we have antenna arrays set up across the world in order to pick up signals sent from a spacecraft. As the crafts started drifting off farther into space the intensity of their signal has become fainter, eventually leading to building antennas with larger diameters going all the way up to 70 meters. This kind of communication used between the spacecraft and earth is, Deep Space Network (DSN). A tracking system operated by JPL for NASA in order to locate, receive and send data to these crafts. The program embedded into the spacecraft is autonomous, in order to