Voyager 2 - Mission Profile

Mission Profile

Timeline of travel
Date Event
1977-08-20 Spacecraft launched at 14:29:00 UTC.
1977-12-10 Entered asteroid belt.
1977-12-19 Voyager 1 overtakes Voyager 2. (see diagram)
1978-06- Primary radio receiver fails. Remainder of mission flown using backup.
1978-10-21 Exited asteroid belt
1979-04-25 Start Jupiter observation phase
Time Event
1979-07-08 Encounter with Jovian system.
12:21:00 Callisto flyby at 214,930 km.
1979-07-09
07:14:00 Ganymede flyby at 62,130 km.
17:53:00 Europa flyby at 205,720 km.
20:01:00 Amalthea flyby at 558,370 km.
22:29:00 Jupiter closest approach at 721,670 km from the center of mass.
23:17:00 Io flyby at 1,129,900 km.
1979-08-05 Phase Stop
1981-06-05 Start Saturn observation phase.
Time Event
1981-08-22 Encounter with Saturnian system.
01:26:57 Iapetus flyby at 908,680 km.
1981-08-25
01:25:26 Hyperion flyby at 431,370 km.
09:37:46 Titan flyby at 666,190 km.
22:57:33 Helene flyby at 314,090 km.
1981-08-26
01:04:32 Dione flyby at 502,310 km.
02:22:17 Calypso flyby at 151,590 km.
02:24:26 Mimas flyby at 309,930 km.
03:19:18 Pandora flyby at 107,000 km.
03:24:05 Saturn closest approach at 161,000 km from the center of mass.
03:33:02 Atlas 287,000 km.
03:45:16 Enceladus flyby at 87,010 km.
03:50:04 Janus at 223,000 km.
04:05:56 Epimetheus at 147,000 km.
06:02:47 Telesto at 270,000 km.
06:12:30 Tethys flyby at 93,010 km.
06:28:48 Rhea flyby at 645,260 km.
1981-09-04
01:22:34 Phoebe flyby at 2,075,640 km.
1981-09-25 Phase Stop
1985-11-04 Start Uranus observation phase.
Time Event
1986-01-24 Encounter with Uranian system.
16:50:00 Miranda flyby at 29,000 km.
17:25:00 Ariel flyby at 127,000 km.
17:25:00 Umbriel flyby at 325,000 km.
17:25:00 Titania flyby at 365,200 km.
17:25:00 Oberon flyby at 470,600 km.
17:59:47 Uranus closest approach at 107,000 km from the center of mass.
1986-02-25 Phase Stop
1989-06-05 Start Neptune observation phase.
Time Event
1989-08-25 Encounter with Neptunian system.
03:56:36 Neptune closest approach at 29,240 km.
04:51:00 Larissa flyby at 60,180 km.
05:29:00 Proteus flyby at 97,860 km.
09:23:00 Triton flyby at 39,800 km.
1989-10-02 Phase Stop
1989-10-02 Begin Voyager Interstellar Mission.
Interstellar phase
1990-02-14 Final images of the Voyager Program acquired by Voyager 1 to create the Solar System "Family Portrait".
1997-08-20 20 years of continuous flight and operation at 14:29:00 UTC.
1998-11-13 Terminate scan platform and UV observations.
2007-08-20 30 years of continuous flight and operation at 14:29:00 UTC.
2007-09-06 Terminate data tape recorder operations.
2008-02-22 Terminate planetary radio astronomy experiment operations.
2011-11-07 Switch to backup thrusters to conserve power


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