NASA's Voyager 1 is poised to become the first human-made object to reach one light-day from Earth. The milestone will occur on November 18, 2026, at 2:16 AM PST.
The spacecraft, launched in 1977, will then be 25.9 billion kilometers from our planet. That distance equals the distance light travels in a single day.
This vast distance significantly impacts communication. A signal sent to the probe takes a full day to arrive, and its reply takes another day to return.
Voyager 1 was the first spacecraft to enter interstellar space, traveling at 61,100 kilometers per hour. Its original mission was a flyby of Jupiter and Saturn.
The plutonium-powered probe is now slowly losing energy. NASA has been shutting down instruments to extend its life. Only the magnetometer and plasma wave subsystem remain active.
Scientists expect communication to continue into the early 2030s. After its power fails, Voyager 1 will continue its journey carrying the Golden Record-a time capsule of Earth's sounds, music, and images.