# Would Voyager return to the solar system if stopped?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-voyager-return-to-the-solar-system-if-stopped/765341>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 8, 2016, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-voyager-return-to-the-solar-system-if-stopped/765341 "2016-09-08T16:53:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2016, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-voyager-return-to-the-solar-system-if-stopped/765341/21 "2016-09-11T14:02:41Z")

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Oops that’s period. Need to divide by 2 to get free fall time.

Voyager 1: 227+ years.  
Voyager 2: 206+ years.

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**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:** [September 11, 2016, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-voyager-return-to-the-solar-system-if-stopped/765341/22 "2016-09-11T23:59:13Z")

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Hm, I guess that Voyager’s orbit is a lot more escape than I thought.

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**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2016, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-voyager-return-to-the-solar-system-if-stopped/765341/23 "2016-09-12T20:28:16Z")

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> [@ftg](#):
>
> Fall time is a special case of Kepler’s Third Law. Using a [calculator](http://www.calctool.org/CALC/phys/astronomy/planet_orbit) for that and plugging in 67.5 AU (Half of Voyager 1’s solar distance) as the semi-major axis gives about 554.5 years. Quite a bit more than the 39 years since launch. Lots of different factors including gravity assist as well as current velocity.
> 
> For Voyager 2, it’s only 413.4 years…

Fascinating - thanks! I love the Dope.

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