They have been travelling in the space in the opposite directions for the last 25 to 30 years and will travel further more
2006-08-15 18:37:41 · 7 answers · asked by rajr59 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
This is due to Sir Newton's 3 laws of physics. Since the Voyager and Pioneer probes got off the ground with powerful rockets (Newton's 3rd law of action/reaction), they have mainly traveled through vacuum. The only significant interaction they had is with the gravity fields of the planets they visited (the 1st law, in which objects tend to remain at rest or in motion, unless acted on by a third force).
Finally, all these probes actually got a bit of a boost. During their flybys of the planets they visited, they were imparted with increased velocity, like a pitcher hurling a baseball (A bit of the 3rd rule...Every force applied results in an equal but opposite reaction. Also the second rule...the rate of change of momentum is directionaly proportional to the net force acting on the object, and the change of momentum is in the direction of the net force. ) Thus, when a probe like New Horizons passes by Jupiter, it speeds up at the planets expense....Jupiter slows down a tiny fraction in it's orbit, while the probe speeds up!
2006-08-15 19:36:09 · answer #1 · answered by swilliamrex 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Both of them will keep on accellerating through space forever, nothing can stop them unless they hit a planet or something.
Voyager 1 had as its primary targets the planets Jupiter and Saturn and their associated moons and rings; its current mission is the detection of the heliopause and particle measurements of solar wind and the interstellar medium. Both Voyager probes are powered by three radioisotope thermoelectric generators, which have far outlasted their originally intended lifespan, and are now expected to continue to generate enough power to keep communicating with Earth until at least around the year 2030.
2006-08-16 02:09:38 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because they are travelling faster than the sun's escape velocity there is nothing to keep them from going indefinitely.
Unless they collided with some object along the way. And at the speed they are travelling, there wouldn't be much left.
2006-08-16 02:08:38 · answer #3 · answered by Search first before you ask it 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In space, there is no gravity to attract the spacecraft to slow them down and stop them. So they will keep drifting in a certain path for ethernity.
So yes, this is an infinitre journey.
2006-08-16 01:43:13 · answer #4 · answered by StandTall 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In addition to the other great answers.. I'll add that inertia (.. objects in motion remain in motion unless acted upon by another force..) and momentum (mass*velocity??) will both keep these spacecraft moving. There is no friction in the vaccum of space.
2006-08-16 01:55:49 · answer #5 · answered by Chuck 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the space there is nothing to stop them. Newtons first law keeps them going. Initially they use the gravity of jupitor etc to accelerate the spacecraft by sling action
2006-08-16 01:47:24 · answer #6 · answered by Dr M 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually, they are slowing down, and we don't know why. This may be related to dark matter particles causing drag or some leak on the spacecraft.
2006-08-16 02:30:39 · answer #7 · answered by Bob D 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋