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List of artificial objects leaving the Solar System

Updated: Wikipedia source

List of artificial objects leaving the Solar System

Several space probes and the upper stages of their launch vehicles are leaving the Solar System, all of which were launched by NASA. Three of the probes, Voyager 1, Voyager 2, and New Horizons, are still functioning and are regularly contacted by radio communication, while Pioneer 10 and Pioneer 11 are now derelict. In addition to these spacecraft, some upper stages and de-spin weights are leaving the Solar System, assuming they continue on their trajectories. These objects are leaving the Solar System because their velocity and direction are taking them away from the Sun, and at their distance from the Sun, its gravitational pull is not sufficient to pull these objects back or into orbit. They are not impervious to the gravitational pull of the Sun and are being slowed, but are still traveling in excess of escape velocity to leave the Solar System and coast into interstellar space.

Tables

· Speed and distance from the Sun
Voyager 1
Voyager 1
Name
Voyager 1
Launched
1977-09
Contact lost (as of 2025)
-
Distance from the Sun (AU) (as of 2025)
169
Speed (km/s)
16
Local escape velocity (km/s)
3
Voyager 2
Voyager 2
Name
Voyager 2
Launched
1977-08
Contact lost (as of 2025)
-
Distance from the Sun (AU) (as of 2025)
141
Speed (km/s)
15
Local escape velocity (km/s)
3
Pioneer 10
Pioneer 10
Name
Pioneer 10
Launched
1972
Contact lost (as of 2025)
2003
Distance from the Sun (AU) (as of 2025)
139
Speed (km/s)
11
Local escape velocity (km/s)
3
Pioneer 11
Pioneer 11
Name
Pioneer 11
Launched
1973
Contact lost (as of 2025)
1995
Distance from the Sun (AU) (as of 2025)
117
Speed (km/s)
11
Local escape velocity (km/s)
3
New Horizons
New Horizons
Name
New Horizons
Launched
2006
Contact lost (as of 2025)
-
Distance from the Sun (AU) (as of 2025)
63
Speed (km/s)
13
Local escape velocity (km/s)
5
Computation of local escape velocity
Computation of local escape velocity
Name
Computation of local escape velocity
Launched
1
Contact lost (as of 2025)
-
Distance from the Sun (AU) (as of 2025)
42
Name
Launched
Contact lost (as of 2025)
Distance from the Sun (AU) (as of 2025)
Speed (km/s)
Local escape velocity (km/s)
Voyager 1
1977-09
-
169
16
3
Voyager 2
1977-08
-
141
15
3
Pioneer 10
1972
2003
139
11
3
Pioneer 11
1973
1995
117
11
3
New Horizons
2006
-
63
13
5
Computation of local escape velocity
1
-
42

References

  1. TheSkyLive
    https://theskylive.com/pioneer10-tracker
  2. TheSkyLive
    https://theskylive.com/pioneer11-tracker
  3. NASA
    https://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/missions/archive/pioneer.html
  4. BBC News
    https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46502820
  5. "Voyager – Mission – Interstellar Mission"
    https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/interstellar.html
  6. The Astrophysical Journal Letters
    https://doi.org/10.3847%2F2041-8213%2Fac816a
  7. CBS News
    https://www.cbsnews.com/news/voyager-1-finally-crosses-into-interstellar-space/
  8. Astronomy Letters
    https://arxiv.org/abs/1003.2160
  9. "Interstellar Traveler: NASA's Voyager 1 Probe On 40,000-Year Trek to Distant Star"
    https://www.space.com/22783-voyager-1-interstellar-space-star-flyby.html
  10. "New Horizons Receives Mission Extension to Kuiper Belt, Dawn to Remain at Ceres"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20160820075642/http://www.nasa.gov/feature/new-horizons-receives-mission-extension-to-kuiper-belt-dawn-to-remain-at-ceres/
  11. NASA
    http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/News-Center/News-Article.php?page=20210415
  12. nasaspaceflight
    http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2011/08/thirty-four-years-voyager-2-continues-explore/
  13. Nothing More Powerful
    http://nothingmorepowerful.blogspot.com/2017/12/when-voyagers-passed-pioneers.html
  14. Jet Propulsion Laboratory
    https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/fastfacts.html
  15. "Voyager 1 has left the Solar System. Will we ever overtake it?"
    https://bigthink.com/starts-with-a-bang/voyager-1-solar-system/
  16. Jet Propulsion Laboratory
    https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/where/
  17. Heavens Above
    https://www.heavens-above.com/SolarEscape.aspx
  18. NASA
    https://web.archive.org/web/20220822023913/https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-s-new-horizons-reaches-a-rare-space-milestone
  19. www
    http://www.qrg.northwestern.edu/projects/vss/docs/space-environment/2-whats-escape-velocity.html
  20. www
    https://www.wolframalpha.com/
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