Voyager 1 and 2 mark 48 years in space. Here’s what to know about famous NASA mission

For nearly five decades, NASA’s twin Voyager probes have plumbed the cosmos in search of answers to some of astronomy’s most perplexing mysteries about our solar system and its place in the wider universe.

And now, both of the pioneering spacecraft – which launched two weeks apart in the late-1970s into space – have officially turned 48 years old. Voyager 2 was the first to have its birthday in August, followed now by Voyager 1, which marked its anniversary early in September.

In their years among the stars, both of the trailblazing Voyager probes have continually defied expectations for their respective lifespans as they venture further and further into uncharted territory of outer space.