How Far Away is the Voyager 1 Spacecraft? One Light-Day, Explained | NASA/JPL

How Far Away is the Voyager 1 Spacecraft? One Light-Day, Explained | NASA/JPL

NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft is approaching a historic milestone. On November 18, 2026, the spacecraft will reach a distance of one light-day from Earth.

Launched in 1977, Voyager 1 and its twin, Voyager 2, transformed our understanding of the solar system through their exploration of the outer planets. In 2012, Voyager 1 became the first human-made spacecraft to enter interstellar space.

Now more than 16 billion miles from Earth, Voyager 1 continues its journey into the unknown. At this extraordinary distance, a command sent from Earth takes 24 hours to reach the spacecraft, and another 24 hours for a response to return.

Carrying the Golden Record, a message from humanity, NASA’s farthest explorer continues pushing the boundaries of space exploration nearly five decades after launch.

For more information on the milestone, visit: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/voyager/voyager-1/voyager-1-what-is-a-light-day/

Learn more about NASA’s Voyager mission: https://nasa.gov/voyager

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Duration: 1 minute, 23 seconds
Release Date: Nov. 9, 2026

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