The first human-made objects to leave our Sun's influence

Space · Published 23 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: We have sent robotic explorers into the deepest reaches of the cosmos, reaching places humans cannot go. From icy moons to the void between stars, these unmanned probes act as our eyes in the dark, gathering data on celestial bodies that remain otherwise unreachable.

Space probes serve as essential tools for exploring distant planets, comets, and asteroids. Unlike human missions, these robotic explorers are designed to gather vital scientific information from environments that are physically inaccessible to us. They provide the primary means of understanding the composition and behavior of celestial bodies across our solar system.

One of the most significant milestones in this journey is Voyager 1. Launched on September 5, 1977, it was designed for flybys of Jupiter and Saturn. While on its journey, the craft revealed several significant findings, such as Metis and Thebe, which are two Jovian moons, plus a slender ring encircling Jupiter. Furthermore, five additional moons were spotted by the probe alongside Saturn's G-ring. The spacecraft weighed approximately 1,592 pounds at launch. It was propelled by a Titan IIIE-Centaur vehicle from Florida.

Voyager 1 achieved a historic first in August 2012 by crossing the heliopause—the boundary where the Sun's influence weakens and interstellar space begins. To keep this mission alive nearly 50 years later, engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory have had to strategically shut down specific instruments to conserve power from its three Multi-Hundred Watt Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators. This transition occurred after the probe reached 100 astronomical units in 2006. The craft carries ten distinct scientific instruments to study its surroundings.

Despite these power constraints, Voyager 1 continues to operate two science instruments today. It remains the most distant human-made object in existence, having overtaken Pioneer 10 in 1998 to become our furthest scout into the unknown. The mission officially shifted focus in early 1990. It continues to provide unique data from the region beyond our solar bubble.

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