Voyager 1 to reach one light-day distance from Earth on November 18

NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft is scheduled to reach a distance of one light-day from Earth on November 18, 2026, at 5:16:07 a.m. EST, according to reports from NASA and Tom's Hardware.

The Milestone

A light-day is a measure of distance representing how far light travels in 24 hours. Because light travels at approximately 186,282 miles per second or 300,000 km per second, one light-day is roughly 16 billion miles or 26 billion kilometers. NASA reports that Voyager 1 will be 16.1 billion miles from the Sun when it crosses the one-light-day mark.

Mission History and Status

Launched in 1977, Voyager 1 was originally designed for a five-year mission to observe Jupiter and Saturn. The spacecraft has since survived nearly ten times the length of its original mission timeline.

Key details regarding the spacecraft include:

• Current Speed: Voyager 1's estimated speed in relation to the Sun is 37,844.49 mph.
• Power Source: The probe is powered by three radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs), which experts estimate have enough power to allow the spacecraft to continue operating until the 2030s.
• Communication Challenges: Due to the extreme distance, round-trip communications take at least 45 hours, with latency exceeding 22 hours.

Technical Challenges

The spacecraft has faced several technical difficulties during its journey. In 2024, engineers resolved a critical memory error that lasted several weeks. Additionally, NASA recently had to implement an emergency instrument shutdown procedure following an unexpected drop in power levels.

Why it matters

Voyager 1 is expected to become the most distant artificial object in history upon reaching this milestone. The probe is currently traveling through interstellar space, with its heading set toward the star AC +79 3888 (also known as Gliese 445) in the Ursa Minor constellation.

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Sources

• science.nasa.gov: November’s Night Sky Notes: Light-Day Away - NASA Science
• tomshardware.com: Voyager 1 probe to hit historic one light-day distance from Earth in 17 days — 49-year-old spacecraft travels 16 billion miles and survives nearly ten times the length of its original five-year mission | Tom's Hardware

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.