The Grand Tour
Voyager 2 is the only spacecraft to have visited all four giant planets — Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Launched in August 1977, it took advantage of a rare planetary alignment that occurs roughly once every 175 years. Its encounters with Uranus (1986) and Neptune (1989) remain the only close-up studies of these ice giants.
Into Interstellar Space
In November 2018, Voyager 2 followed its twin across the heliopause, becoming the second human-made object to enter interstellar space. Unlike Voyager 1, Voyager 2 still has a functioning plasma science instrument, providing unique data about the boundary between the heliosphere and the interstellar medium.
Mission Timeline
1977-08-20
Launch from Cape Canaveral
1979-07-09
Jupiter flyby
1981-08-26
Saturn flyby
1986-01-24
Uranus flyby — only spacecraft visit
1989-08-25
Neptune flyby — only spacecraft visit
2018-11-05
Crossed the heliopause into interstellar space