Voyager Facts for Kids

Voyager is a word that means someone or something that travels a lot, especially on long journeys or to new places. It's often used for things that explore, like spaceships or ships sailing the seas.

You'll find the name "Voyager" used for many different things, from famous space missions to vehicles and even movies or music.

Space Exploration
- The Voyager Program
  - Voyager 1 and 2
- Other Space Projects
Transportation
Computing and Technology
Arts and Entertainment
See also

Space Exploration

"Voyager" is most famous for its role in exploring space. NASA has used this name for some incredible missions.

The Voyager Program

The Voyager program is a very important NASA project. It sent two uncrewed spacecraft, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2, to explore the outer parts of our solar system. These probes have traveled farther than any other human-made objects.

Voyager 1 and 2

Voyager 1 was launched on September 5, 1977. It flew past Jupiter and Saturn, sending back amazing pictures and data. It is now in interstellar space, which is the space between stars.
Voyager 2 was launched a bit earlier, on August 20, 1977. It also visited Jupiter and Saturn, but then went on to explore Uranus and Neptune. It was the first and only spacecraft to visit these two distant planets. Voyager 2 is also now in interstellar space.

Both Voyager probes carry a special "Golden Record." This record contains sounds and images from Earth, like music, greetings in different languages, and pictures of people and nature. It's like a message in a bottle, meant for any intelligent life they might encounter in the future.

Other Space Projects

Voyager program (Mars): This was a plan for space probes that would have traveled to the planet Mars, but it was later canceled.
Voyager (communications satellite): This refers to a series of American satellites that help with communication from space.
The Voyager: This was the very first simulator built at the Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center. Simulators help people learn about space travel in a safe way.
Voyager (Voyager Technologies Inc.): This is an American company that works on aerospace and defense projects.

Transportation

The name "Voyager" is also used for many different types of vehicles that travel on land, in the air, or on water.

Air Travel

Airbus Voyager: This is a special version of the Airbus A330 plane used by the Royal Air Force. It can refuel other planes in the air.
Rutan Voyager: This was a very special airplane. In 1986, it became the first plane to fly around the world without stopping or refueling. This was a huge achievement!
Egvoyager Voyager 203 and Raj Hamsa Voyager: These are types of very light aircraft, often called ultralights.

Land Travel

Bombardier Voyager: These are modern, high-speed trains used in the United Kingdom.
- Bombardier Voyager (British Rail Class 220): These trains were built around 2000-2001.
- Bombardier Super Voyager (British Rail Class 221): These trains were built a bit later and can tilt, which helps them go faster around curves.
Chrysler Voyager and Plymouth Voyager: These are types of minivans, which are popular family vehicles.
Kawasaki Voyager: This refers to two different series of motorcycles made by Kawasaki.

Water Travel

MS Voyager of the Seas: This is a very large and popular cruise ship operated by Royal Caribbean. It's designed for fun vacations on the ocean.
HMAS Voyager (D04) and HMS Voyager (D31): These were destroyers, which are types of fast warships, used by the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Navy, respectively.
HSC Stena Voyager: This was a high-speed ferry that carried passengers and vehicles across water.

Computing and Technology

"Voyager" has also been used in the world of computers and digital technology.

Voyager (web browser): This was a web browser designed for Amiga computers, which were popular in the 1980s and 90s.
HP Voyager series: This was a special code name for a series of handheld calculators made by Hewlett-Packard. These calculators were very advanced for their time.
Voyager (library program): This is a computer system used by many libraries to manage their books and other materials.

Arts and Entertainment

The name "Voyager" has inspired many creative works, including films, TV shows, and music.

Films

Voyager: This is a German film from 1991.
V'Ger: This is a fictional NASA space probe from the 1979 movie Star Trek: The Motion Picture. It's a very important part of the story.
Voyagers (film): This is an American science fiction film released in 2021.

Music

Many bands and albums have used the name "Voyager":

Voyager (English band): A pop-rock group from Britain.
Voyager (Australian band): A progressive metal band from Australia.
Voyager: A 1996 album by Mike Oldfield, which also has a song called "The Voyager."
The Voyager: A 2014 album by Jenny Lewis.
Minimoog Voyager: This is a type of electronic musical instrument, a synthesizer, known for its unique sounds.

Television Shows

Voyagers!: This was an NBC television series from the 1980s about time travel.
Star Trek: Voyager: This is a very popular science fiction TV series that aired from 1995 to 2001. It follows the adventures of a starship called USS Voyager that gets lost far from home.
Earth Star Voyager: A TV pilot from 1988 that aired on Wonderful World of Disney.

Books

Voyager: A 1992 time travel romance novel by Diana Gabaldon.
Voyager: Seeking Newer Worlds in the Third Great Age of Discovery: A 2010 book by Stephen J. Pyne about the NASA Voyager program.
Voyagers: A 1981 novel by Ben Bova.
Voyager Books: This is a special part of the publisher HarperCollins that releases books.

Other Entertainment

Voyager: A video game that was planned but later canceled.
Voyager (comics): A character who appears in Marvel Comics stories.

Voyager facts for kids

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