NASA has confirmed that Voyager 1 is on track to reach a distance of one light-dayfrom Earth in November 2026. This milestone will occur approximately 49 years after its launch in September 1977. 

Key Facts About the Milestone:

• Distance: One light-day is approximately 25.9 billion kilometres (roughly 16.1 billion miles).
• Communication Lag: At this distance, radio signals traveling at the speed of light will take a full 24 hours to reach the probe, creating a 48-hour round-trip delay for commands and responses.
• Current Status: As of February 2026, the spacecraft is roughly 25.7 billion kilometres away, with a one-way light time of approximately 23 hours and 50 minutes.
• Speed: It continues to travel at roughly 61,200 km/h (38,000 mph).
• Mission Longevity: Despite its age and dwindling power from its radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs), NASA engineers expect to maintain contact with the probe into the 2030s. 

Future Benchmarks:

• One Light-Day from the Sun: Expected in January 2027, coinciding with the mission’s 50th anniversary.
• Voyager 2 Milestone: Voyager 1’s twin is not expected to reach the one light-day distance until roughly November 2035. 

Voyager 1 and voyager 2 missions and achievements

Launched in 1977, the twin Voyager probes were originally designed for a five-year mission to explore Jupiter and Saturn

. Taking advantage of a rare planetary alignment occurring every 175 years, the mission was extended into a “Grand Tour” of the outer solar system. 

Voyager 1: The Fast-Track Scout

Launched on September 5, 1977, Voyager 1 followed a shorter, faster trajectory that allowed it to reach its targets first. 

• Key Achievements:
  • Volcanic Activity: Discovered active volcanoes on Jupiter’s moon Io, the first such discovery beyond Earth.
  • Titan Flyby: Conducted a high-priority survey of Saturn’s moon Titan, revealing its thick, nitrogen-rich atmosphere. This maneuver sent the probe out of the plane of the planets (ecliptic) and ended its planetary visits.
  • Interstellar Entry: Became the first human-made object to enter interstellar space on August 25, 2012.
  • Pale Blue Dot: In 1990, it captured the iconic “Pale Blue Dot” photo of Earth from 6 billion kilometres

Voyager 2: The Grand Tourer

Launched on August 20, 1977, Voyager 2 is the only spacecraft to have visited all four “gas giant” planets. 

• Key Achievements:
  • Uranus and Neptune: Remains the only spacecraft to have visited these “ice giants”. It discovered 10 new moons and two rings at Uranus, and five moons and four rings at Neptune.
  • Great Dark Spot: Observed a massive, Earth-sized storm on Neptune known as the Great Dark Spot.
  • Interstellar Entry: Joined its twin in interstellar space on November 5, 2018.
  • Europa Ocean: Provided high-resolution images of Europa, showing a smooth, cracked surface that first hinted at a subsurface ocean. 

Shared Legacy

• The Golden Record: Each probe carries a 12-inch Voyager Golden Record—a gold-plated copper disk containing sounds, images, and greetings from Earth intended for any extraterrestrial life.
• Endurance: Both have far exceeded their design life, surviving over 48 years in the harsh conditions of deep space. 

NASA continues to provide real-time updates on their locations and health via the Voyager Mission Status page.