Voyager 1 Is About to Reach One Light-day from Earth

Voyager 1, launched in 1977, is set to reach a light-day from Earth by November 2026, marking a significant milestone in space exploration. Traveling at 11 miles per second, it has already become the most distant human-made object, entering interstellar space in 2012. Despite its age, Voyager 1 continues to send data, powered by its radioisotope thermoelectric generators, which will remain operational into the 2030s. Communication with the probe is slow, with commands taking a day to reach it and another day for confirmation, highlighting the challenges of deep-space operations.