‘Voyager’s failing signals’: The urgent need for a new deep space probe
Produced by: Manoj Kumar
Solar Shield
The heliosphere is a massive bubble created by the Sun, protecting our solar system from harmful cosmic radiation and interstellar threats.
Mysterious Shape
Scientists don’t know the true shape of the heliosphere—it could be spherical, comet-like, or even croissant-shaped, with vast size variations.
Voyager’s Clues
NASA’s Voyager 1 and 2 are the only probes to cross into interstellar space, but their outdated instruments can’t fully analyze the heliosphere’s boundaries.
Interstellar Probe Plans
NASA is considering a new interstellar probe to study the heliosphere from the outside, providing unprecedented data on its structure and interactions.
Credit : NASA
Aging Spacecraft
Voyager probes will stop transmitting data before a new mission reaches interstellar space, creating a critical gap in deep-space exploration.
Supernova Impact
The heliosphere blocks cosmic rays, but scientists believe past supernovae may have temporarily shrunk it, exposing Earth to radiation and influencing evolution.
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Magnetic Interactions
At the heliosphere’s tail, charged particles mix with interstellar plasma through magnetic reconnection, affecting space weather within the solar system.
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The 50-Year Journey
An interstellar probe would need at least 50 years to exit the heliosphere, meaning NASA must launch soon or risk decades without data.
The Ultimate Goal
Understanding the heliosphere’s shape and defenses helps us prepare for space travel, predict cosmic threats, and uncover our solar system’s place in the universe.
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