Core Insights - The article highlights the significance of the Voyager 1 spacecraft, which was launched on September 5, 1977, marking humanity's first systematic application of multi-modal exploration technology for comprehensive observation of gas giants and their moons [2][5] - Voyager 1 is currently the farthest human-made object from Earth, approximately 24,390,369,955 kilometers away, continuing its journey at a speed of about 17 kilometers per second [3] - The instruments aboard Voyager 1 represent the pinnacle of 1970s space technology and are considered the gold standard for deep space exploration [4] Instrumentation Highlights - The Imaging Science System features a dual-channel design with a narrow-angle camera equipped with an 800x800 pixel CCD sensor and a wide-angle camera using a 256x256 pixel array, achieving a dynamic range of 72 dB [4] - The Plasma Spectrometer employs a Faraday cup design with dual probe structures for simultaneous plasma parameter measurements, providing critical data for planetary magnetosphere boundary localization [8] - The Ultraviolet Spectrometer covers a wavelength range of 110–400 nm and was instrumental in measuring the atmospheric thickness and methane column density of Titan, validating its global greenhouse effect model [9] - The Low Energy Charged Particle Experiment discovered electron clusters with energies exceeding 50 MeV in Jupiter's radiation belts, correcting earlier models of the Van Allen belts [10] Mission Conclusion - Voyager 1 operates on nuclear power batteries, which have been depleting since 2007, leading to the gradual shutdown of some instruments [12] - By 2020, the ground team plans to systematically shut down all scientific instruments, with complete shutdown expected by 2025, after which communication will cease by 2036 [12] - The instruments aboard Voyager 1 have established a complete planetary exploration technology system, redefining observational dimensions in deep space exploration and setting engineering benchmarks in energy, control, and communication [12][13]
历史上的今天:48年前,目前距地球最远的科学仪器开始运行
仪器信息网·2025-12-23 09:02