The Voyager mission through the Jupiter encounters

Abstract

The Voyager mission is a major element in NASA's program of exploration of the outer solar system. Objectives of the Voyager mission include comparative studies of the Jovian and Saturnian planetary systems and exploratory studies of the interplanetary medium at increasing distances from the sun. With the successful Saturn encounter in November 1980, the objectives of the mission have been extended to include an exploration of Uranus and interplanetary studies to beyond 20 astronomical units. The papers in this special issue represent the first comprehensive report of the detailed analysis of data from the initial phase of the mission, extending from launch through the Jupiter encounters. Voyager 1 was launched on September 5, 1977, and arrived at Jupiter on March 5, 1979, while Voyager 2 was launched on August 20, 1977, and arrived at Jupiter on July 9, 1979.