The Correct Answer: b) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Explanation:
The Voyager 2 spacecraft was indeed launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Here is a detailed explanation of the Voyager 2 mission and its launch:

The Voyager Missions:
The Voyager missions were a pair of unmanned space probes, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2, launched by NASA in the late 1970s. Their primary mission was to study the outer planets of our solar system and their moons.

The Voyager 2 Spacecraft:
Voyager 2 was the second spacecraft to be launched in the Voyager program. It was launched on August 20, 1977, from Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA. Its sister spacecraft, Voyager 1, was launched a few weeks earlier on September 5, 1977.

Objectives of the Voyager 2 Mission:
The Voyager 2 mission had several objectives, including:
1. Flybys of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune to study their atmospheres, moons, rings, and magnetic fields.
2. Collect data on the solar wind, cosmic rays, and magnetic fields in the outer regions of the solar system.
3. Capture images and data of the planets and their moons to increase our understanding of these celestial bodies.

The Launch Vehicle:
Voyager 2 was launched using a Titan IIIE/Centaur rocket. The Titan IIIE was a three-stage liquid-fueled rocket, and the Centaur was an upper stage powered by liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.

The Journey:
After its launch, Voyager 2 embarked on a long journey through the solar system. It first flew by Jupiter in July 1979, followed by Saturn in August 1981. These flybys provided valuable information about the giant gas planets and their moons.

After Saturn, Voyager 2 continued its journey towards Uranus, where it made a close approach in January 1986. This was the first and only time a spacecraft has visited this ice giant planet.

Finally, Voyager 2 continued its trajectory towards Neptune, where it made its closest approach in August 1989. This made Voyager 2 the only spacecraft to have visited all four of the outer planets of our solar system.

Significance of the Voyager Missions:
The Voyager missions have been of great significance to the field of planetary science. They provided us with detailed images and data of the outer planets and their moons, greatly expanding our knowledge of these celestial bodies. The data collected by Voyager 2 and its sister spacecraft, Voyager 1, continue to be studied by scientists to this day.

In summary, the Voyager 2 spacecraft was launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the Voyager missions. Its launch took place on August 20, 1977, from Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA.