# Ladies and Gentlemen, Voyager has Left the Building **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 5, 2012, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-and-gentlemen-voyager-has-left-the-building/643082 "2012-12-05T16:51:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-and-gentlemen-voyager-has-left-the-building/643082/21 "2012-12-05T21:07:51Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > There’s no conceivable reason that we would ever need to stop it. What if one of the original technicians who worked on it just now realized where he left his wedding band? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-and-gentlemen-voyager-has-left-the-building/643082/22 "2012-12-05T21:16:31Z")
In roughly 40,000 years, Voyager 1 will have it’s closest encounter with another star. If you can call 1.6 light years (@1100 times further than it has travelled in 35 years) “close”. In that time, that star, [Gleise 445](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gliese_445) will have moved from being 17.6 light years away, to being around 3.45 light years away, before it starts moving away from us (ie, just passing by at 270,000mph compared to Voyager 1’s 38,600mph). ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-and-gentlemen-voyager-has-left-the-building/643082/23 "2012-12-05T21:19:23Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > In roughly 40,000 years, Voyager 1 will have it’s closest encounter with another star. If you can call 1.6 light years (@1100 times further than it has travelled in 35 years) “close”. In that time, that star, [Gleise 445](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gliese_445) will have moved from being 17.6 light years away, to being around 3.45 light years away, before it starts moving away from us (ie, just passing by at 270,000mph compared to Voyager 1’s 38,600mph). Who will have right-of-way? ---
**Author:** ![chargerrich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chargerrich/32/5399_2.png) [@chargerrich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chargerrich)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-and-gentlemen-voyager-has-left-the-building/643082/24 "2012-12-05T21:25:52Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Vger does not understand! 🆒 Well played sir! ---
**Author:** ![Dano83860](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a4c791/32.png) [@Dano83860](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dano83860)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-and-gentlemen-voyager-has-left-the-building/643082/25 "2012-12-05T21:29:49Z")
> [@sparky\_1](#): > > What if one of the original technicians who worked on it just now realized where he left his wedding band? That’s what he’s been telling his wife for the last 35 years. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-and-gentlemen-voyager-has-left-the-building/643082/26 "2012-12-05T21:43:27Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Give that probe a peanut butter and banana sandwich. Do you want to add something to that order? Or change it to a fruit basket, or something? It’s just that I know this place that does free delivery for orders over £20.00, and I think that looks like a bargain under the circumstances. ---
**Author:** ![Twoflower](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twoflower/32/22_2.png) [@Twoflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twoflower)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-and-gentlemen-voyager-has-left-the-building/643082/27 "2012-12-05T21:43:44Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > What if we had to stop Voyager? With today’s best tech, how long would it take for a probe launched today to catch up to it? Given that our current best technology for interplanetary travel still requires swinging past large planets for a gravity assist, is it even physically possible to send another probe in the exact same direction? Or to give it any more speed at all, let alone make up a 35-year head start? No way do we have the capacity to send the fuel for a powered flight that far. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-and-gentlemen-voyager-has-left-the-building/643082/28 "2012-12-05T22:10:40Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Who will have right-of-way? The sun will. It’s bigger and brighter. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-and-gentlemen-voyager-has-left-the-building/643082/29 "2012-12-05T22:12:42Z")
> [@Twoflower](#): > > No way do we have the capacity to send the fuel for a powered flight that far. Considering that it would have to catch it, then capture it, then reverse thrust? Not happening at all. Not on our current tech. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-and-gentlemen-voyager-has-left-the-building/643082/30 "2012-12-05T22:29:17Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > There’s no conceivable reason that we would ever need to stop it. You sound tasty. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-and-gentlemen-voyager-has-left-the-building/643082/31 "2012-12-05T22:54:14Z")
I shall slather myself with barbeque sauce at the sight of your approach. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-and-gentlemen-voyager-has-left-the-building/643082/32 "2012-12-05T23:01:38Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Is NASA still in communication with Voyager? If so, how long can that go on? Looks like [until at least 2025](http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/spacecraft/spacecraftlife.html). > [@CalMeacham](#): > > I don’t know who gets to decide that, or how, or exactly what demarcation line you use, but it’s out there.. Of course there’s still (presumably) the Oort cloud. It will be a long time before the Voyagers clear that, especially if the [most expansive models are correct](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oort_cloud#Structure_and_composition). ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-and-gentlemen-voyager-has-left-the-building/643082/33 "2012-12-06T00:32:50Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > Looks like [until at least 2025](http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/spacecraft/spacecraftlife.html). Thanks for posting that. Looks like that’s when the batteries will give out completely. Of course they might lose the signal before that. Or it might go **Opportunity** on us, and keep on going. > [@MEBuckner](#): > > Of course there’s still (presumably) the Oort cloud. It will be a long time before the Voyagers clear that, especially if the [most expansive models are correct](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oort_cloud#Structure_and_composition). Wow. I knew the Oort cloud was way out there, but I didn’t know the magnitude of how far out it is. From your link: > [@](#): > > (If we define the solar system as the Sun and everything that primarily orbits the Sun, however, Voyager 1 will remain within the confines of the solar system until it emerges from the Oort cloud in another 14,000 to 28,000 years). I’ll have to write myself a note to look back in on it then. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-and-gentlemen-voyager-has-left-the-building/643082/34 "2012-12-06T01:15:52Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > I’m really glad this didn’t turn out to be a thread telling us that something had happened to **Voyager** the poster. I get no respect, no respect at all. Take a little nap, and I wind up in interstellar space. (At least my location is correct for one more Voyager instantiation.) ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-and-gentlemen-voyager-has-left-the-building/643082/35 "2012-12-06T03:17:05Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > In roughly 40,000 years, Voyager 1 will have it’s closest encounter with another star… What condition will it be in then? Obviously it won’t be working, but what will have happened to it? Will it be eroded by interstellar dust? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-and-gentlemen-voyager-has-left-the-building/643082/36 "2012-12-06T03:28:37Z")
Actually, we _could_ catch up to it. [New Horizons](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Horizons) is faster. > [@](#): > > Quoth **Yllaria** : > > Or it might go Opportunity on us, and keep on going. Sadly, no. Opportunity is powered by solar panels, which could in principle keep providing the power it needs indefinitely: The only limit is when they get too gunked up or worn down by Martian dust, and it’s very difficult to predict when that will happen. The Voyagers, though, like pretty much everything that goes beyond Mars’ orbit, are powered by RTGs, which have a set-in-stone lifespan based on when the plutonium in them decays too much to continue producing enough heat. You can stretch that a little by selectively shutting down systems on the probe so it uses less and less power, but they’re pretty much already at the limit for what they can do there with the Voyagers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-and-gentlemen-voyager-has-left-the-building/643082.md?page=1)