Voyager 1 is out there living the ultimate road trip dream — it’s been on the move for nearly 48 years since it launched way back on September 5, 1977. Right now, it’s chilling about 22.3 light-hours from Earth, which translates to a jaw-dropping 24 billion kilometers (15 billion miles) away. And get this: it’s still zipping through space at a mind-blowing speed of around 61,000 km/h (38,000 mph). Talk about never hitting traffic!
If all stays on track, Voyager 1 will reach a wild new milestone around November 15, 2026, when it’ll be one full light-day away from Earth — roughly 25.9 billion kilometers (16 billion miles) out. That means even a beam of light, the Usain Bolt of the universe, would need a whole 24 hours just to catch up with it.
Pretty cool to think that this little spacecraft, which was built with ‘70s tech and has less computing power than a modern smartwatch, is still out there, rocketing into interstellar space and carrying that golden record mixtape for any curious aliens it might meet. Not bad for something older than the first Star Wars movie!
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