Does anyone have any info on a graphical representation of any/all flight paths of Earth’s (I say “Earth” to include all nations) extrasolar crafts in relation to the galactic center of our Milky-way Galaxy. Specifically, are any of the crafts that have been sent out to explore, on a path that will take them (eventually) to the vicinity of the galactic center?
Voyager 2 is headed towards Telescopium, which is in the general direction of the galactic bulge.
You could simply say “extrasolar spacecraft” as the number that have originated outside Earth is (by those who track such objects) believed to be quite low.
AFAIK, the only spacecraft that could be considered to be extrasolar is Voyager 2, which is just leaving the solar system right about…NOW.
New Horizons is headed even closer — its current trajectory is on the order of 10° off of a line from the Sun to the Galactic center. However, its final path out of the Solar system isn’t known exactly, since NASA engineers may change its trajectory after the Pluto flyby if they can find another Kuiper Belt object that they can get to. The Wiki article on New Horizons implies that this new course will have to be within a degree or so of its current trajectory, though, so this course change probably won’t make its closest approach to the Galactic Center much closer or much farther.
Right this moment, yes, but it’s probably fair to consider a craft extrasolar if it’s on an escape trajectory (and hence, will eventually leave). That would also give you Voyager 1, Pioneers 10 and 11, and New Horizons.