NASA Extends Voyager 1's Mission Through Energy-Saving Swap
NASA swapped three power devices for lower-power alternatives, buying years for the spacecraft launched in 1977.
In September, engineers completed a months-long effort called the Big Bang, switching off three devices on Voyager 1 and turning on three lower-power options at the same time. The spacecraft loses about 4 watts of power each year as its plutonium fuel decays.
Without this swap, NASA would need to turn off another science tool by summer 2027. On October 18 and 19, Voyager 1 briefly lost radio contact with Earth.
The signal returned on October 20. The spacecraft's automatic safety system kicked in.
Engineers are still figuring out what caused the problem. On November 18, Voyager 1 will reach a milestone: 16.09 billion miles from Earth.
That's one light-day away, the distance light travels in one day.
- 4 watts
- Power loss per year
- 1977
- Launch year
- 10
- Original science instruments
- 16.09 billion miles
- Distance milestone
Why it mattersThe Voyagers are humanity's only spacecraft directly studying interstellar space, the area outside the sun's influence.
AustraliaVoyager 1's mission continues to advance human knowledge from Earth's perspective; Australia is part of NASA's Deep Space Network ground stations tracking the probe.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 3 h ago
