Non-exhaustive list of artificial objects that are travelling faster than the Sun’s escape velocity: they are on their way to leave the solar system.
Voyager 1 and 2 left the heliosphere to coast into interstellar space in August 25, 2012 and November 5, 2018 respectively. There are no means of tracking the spent stages and mission-related debris (e.g. de-spin weights), it is probable that they will also leave the solar system.
17 artificial objects have been identified. Spacecraft that are still in their systemic context, i.e. still operational, are highlighted in orange.
| COSPAR ID | name | type | mission | quantity | status | date/epoch (UTC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972-012C | STAR-37E (TE-M-364-4) | Booster (3rd stage) | PIONEER 10 | 1 | discarded | March 3, 1972 |
| 1972-012C | DE-SPIN MASS (STAR-37E) | Cables w/ weights | PIONEER 10 | 2 | discarded | March 3, 1972 |
| 1972-012A | PIONEER 10 (PIONEER F) + PIONEER PLAQUE 1 | Deep space probe + gold-anodized aluminium plaque | PIONEER 10 | 1 | EOM, inactive | January 23, 2003 |
| 1973-019A | DE-SPIN MASS (STAR-37E) | Cables w/ weights | PIONEER 11 | 2 | discarded | April 6, 1973 |
| 1973-019A | PIONEER 11 (PIONEER G) + PIONEER PLAQUE 2 | Deep space probe + gold-anodized aluminium plaque | PIONEER 11 | 1 | EOM, inactive | September 3, 1995 |
| 1977-076C | STAR-37E (TE-M-364-4) | Booster (4th stage) | VOYAGER 2 | 1 | discarded | August 20, 1977 |
| 1977-076 | INFRARED INTERFEROMETER SPECTROMETER AND RADIOMETER (IRIS) DUST COVER | Spacecraft instrument dust cover | VOYAGER 2 | 1 | discarded, possibly in heliocentric orbit | August 20, 1977 |
| 1977-076A | VOYAGER 2 + VOYAGER GOLDEN RECORD 1 | Deep space probe + gold-plated phonograph record | VOYAGER 2 | 1 | active | August 20, 1977 |
| 1977-084C | STAR-37E (TE-M-364-4) | Booster (4th stage) | VOYAGER 1 | 1 | discarded | September 5, 1977 |
| 1977-084 | INFRARED INTERFEROMETER SPECTROMETER AND RADIOMETER (IRIS) DUST COVER | Spacecraft instrument dust cover | VOYAGER 1 | 1 | discarded, possibly in heliocentric orbit | September 5, 1977 |
| 1977-084A | VOYAGER 1 + VOYAGER GOLDEN RECORD 2 | Deep space probe + gold-plated phonograph record | VOYAGER 1 | 1 | active | September 5, 1977 |
| 2006-001C | STAR 48B | Booster (3rd stage) | NEW HORIZONS (NEW FRONTIERS 1) | 1 | discarded | January 19, 2006 |
| 2006-001C | DE-SPIN MASS (NEW HORIZONS) | Cables w/ weights | NEW HORIZONS (NEW FRONTIERS 1) | 2 | discarded | January 19, 2006 |
| 2006-001A | NEW HORIZONS | Deep space probe | NEW HORIZONS (NEW FRONTIERS 1) | 1 | active | January 19, 2006 |