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last mo.

NASA’s Voyager Probes Penetrate Extreme “Wall of Fire” at Solar System’s Edge

Transmissions from the twin Voyager spacecraft show they crossed a 30,000–50,000 °C plasma layer at the heliopause intact under reduced power reserves.

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Overview

  • The “Wall of Fire” comprises a sparse, high-energy particle cloud rather than a literal flame barrier.
  • Voyager 1 crossed the heliopause in 2012 and Voyager 2 followed in 2018, making them the first human-made craft to enter interstellar space.
  • Measurements reveal that magnetic fields beyond the heliopause run nearly parallel to those within the heliosphere.
  • NASA has periodically powered down nonessential instruments to conserve energy and extend the probes’ operational life.
  • Both spacecraft continue sending data from over 20 billion kilometers away and are projected to function until around 2030.