SPACECRAFT CHARACTERISTICS
Two identical spacecraft were developed for the 1977 launch opportunity. These marvelous machines were cleverly designed to survive the rigors of long voyages in outer space and to deliver high-quality scientific information required for detailed understanding of planetary systems. The spacecraft are both complex—automatically responding to their Earth-bound monitors that remotely control them via radio commands—and highly autonomous—capable of caring for themselves in many areas through a system of sensors, computers, and spare equipment. Each spacecraft functions on about 400 watts of electrical power which is provided by nuclear generators. Broadcasts of data across a billion miles to Earth are accomplished with a spacecraft transmitter power of only about 25 watts, the amount of energy required by a small household light bulb.
Voyager’s scientific payload was carefully chosen to observe Saturn over a wide range of wave-lengths and to measure magnetic fields, charged particles, and plasma waves.