Launched in 1977 on a mission known as “The Grand Tour,” the Voyager 1 and 2 spacecrafts are considered by many scientists to be the most ambitious and successful missions in the history of robotic space exploration.
The primary mission of Voyager 1 was to explore the planets Jupiter and Saturn and their moons. For the first time, scientists collected data on the magnetic fields of these two giant planets. Close-up images of their moons led to discoveries of volcanoes on Jupiter’s moon Io, and water ice covering the moon Europa. Time-lapsed photos of Saturn’s rings revealed the inner workings of this enigmatic structure. Many other discoveries were made.
The primary mission of Voyager 2 was also to study Jupiter and Saturn, and then to visit the outer planets Uranus and Neptune. The close-up pictures of these two two planets in the display case were collected by the Voyager 2 spacecraft during that part of the mission. Voyager 2 is still the only spacecraft to ever visit these two outer planets.
Both spacecraft have now left the solar system and are flying through interstellar space. Both Voyager 1 and 2 are still operating today and are sending back valuable scientific data on the environment of space outside our solar system.