Voyager 1 is an incredible piece of technology. Launched in 1977, it has traveled about 15 billion miles from Earth. That makes it the most distant human-made object in space. It’s zooming through the galaxy at a jaw-dropping speed of 38,026.79 mph (17 km/s), faster than anything else we’ve built.
To help visualize this speed, the Airplane Mode YouTube channel has created a simulation that shows how fast Voyager 1 would be if it were on Earth. It’s mind-blowing!
At nearly 50 years old, Voyager 1 is still active and continues to send back valuable data. It has successfully passed by Jupiter and Saturn, including Saturn’s largest moon, Titan. However, NASA predicts that after 2036, Voyager 1 will likely be out of reach for communication due to its vast distance. It will keep traveling, but we may no longer receive signals from it.
The launch of both Voyager 1 and its twin, Voyager 2, in the same year was a strategic move by NASA. In the 1960s, they recognized a unique celestial alignments called Syzygy, allowing both probes to fly past several planets in a single mission. This rare opportunity led to the successful exploration of the outer planets.
Interestingly, even though Voyager 2 launched first, Voyager 1 ended up traveling billions of miles farther. As of February 2026, it’s about 2.5 billion miles ahead of its twin. This achievement highlights the unpredictable nature of space exploration.
Moreover, a recent survey showed that nearly 70% of people are keenly interested in space exploration. This growing fascination reflects our desire to understand more about our universe and the technology that makes it possible.
For more insights and updates, check out NASA’s official page on Voyager missions here.
