Editing Spacecraft (section)

=== Space probes ===
{{Main|Space probe}}
Space probes are robotic spacecraft that are sent to explore deep space, or [[Astronomical object|astronomical bodies]] other than Earth. They are distinguished from [[Lander (spacecraft)|landers]] by the fact that they work in open space, not on planetary surfaces or in planetary atmospheres. Being robotic eliminates the need for expensive, heavy life support systems (the [[Apollo program|Apollo]] crewed Moon landings required the use of the [[Saturn V]] rocket that cost over a billion dollars per launch, adjusted for inflation) and so allows for lighter, less expensive rockets. Space probes have visited every planet in the Solar System and [[Pluto]], and the [[Parker Solar Probe]] has an orbit that, at its closest point, is in the [[Chromosphere|Sun's chromosphere]]. There are five space probes that are [[Parabolic trajectory|escaping the Solar System]], these are ''[[Voyager 1]]'', ''[[Voyager 2]]'', ''[[Pioneer 10]]'', ''[[Pioneer 11]]'', and ''[[New Horizons]]''.

==== Voyager program ====
{{Main|Voyager program}}
The identical [[Voyager program|Voyager probes]], weighing {{convert|721.9|kg|lb}},<ref>{{Cite web |title=Voyager 1 - NASA Science |url=https://science.nasa.gov/mission/voyager-1/ |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=science.nasa.gov |language=en}}</ref> were launched in 1977 to take advantage of a rare alignment of [[Jupiter]], [[Saturn]], [[Uranus]] and [[Neptune]] that would allow a spacecraft to visit all four planets in one mission, and get to each destination faster by using [[gravity assist]]. In fact, the rocket that launched the probes (the [[Titan IIIE]]) could not even send the probes to the orbit of [[Saturn]], yet ''[[Voyager 1]]'' is travelling at roughly {{convert|17|km/s|sp=us|mi/s|abbr=unit}} and ''[[Voyager 2]]'' moves at about {{convert|15|km/s|sp=us|mi/s|abbr=unit}} kilometres per second as of 2023. In 2012, ''Voyager 1'' exited the heliosphere, followed by ''Voyager 2'' in 2018. ''Voyager 1'' actually launched 16 days after ''Voyager 2'' but it reached Jupiter sooner because ''Voyager 2'' was taking a longer route that allowed it to visit Uranus and Neptune, whereas ''Voyager 1'' did not visit Uranus or Neptune, instead choosing to fly past Saturn’s satellite [[Titan (moon)|Titan]]. As of August 2023, ''Voyager 1'' has passed 160 [[astronomical unit]]s, which means it is over 160 times farther from the [[Sun]] than Earth is. This makes it the farthest spacecraft from the Sun. ''Voyager 2'' is 134 AU away from the Sun as of August 2023. NASA provides real time data of their distances and data from the probe’s cosmic ray detectors.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mission Status |url=https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status/}}</ref> Because of the probe’s declining power output and degradation of the [[Radioisotope thermoelectric generator|RTGs]] over time, [[NASA]] has had to shut down certain instruments to conserve power. The probes may still have some scientific instruments on until the mid-2020s or perhaps the 2030s. After 2036, they will both be out of range of the [[Deep Space Network]].