A large amount of Voyager 1 & 2 's success isn't just technological it is the ability to take advantage of a specific planetary alignment for a gravity assist [1] that can only occur every 175 years [2] .

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravity_assist [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyager_1#/media/File:Voyager_...

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ahazred8ta an hour ago | parent | next [-]

Every 20 years, Jupiter and Saturn are in position for a gravity assist, which allows you to reach half the outer solar system. In the 1970s, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto were all in the right half.

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joe_mamba 5 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Fingers crossed, if we manage not to blow each other up until then, we have 126 years to go till we can try again.

	▲	mememememememo 40 minutes ago \| parent \| next [-]
		Ideally cattle not pets. We are continually shooting stuff out and in 126 years it'll be as nerveracking and watching a train departure, but still exciting knowing the train is going further.
	▲	toomuchtodo 2 hours ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		You might enjoy "A Canticle for Leibowitz" on this topic. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Canticle_for_Leibowitz \| https://openlibrary.org/works/OL2626638W/A_Canticle_for_Leib...