NASA Restores Communications with Voyager 1 and Ends 2023 Power Glitch

News Mania Desk / Piyal Chatterjee / 30th November 2024

Following a glitch in October, NASA has successfully restored communication with Voyager 1, the furthest spaceship from Earth. The spacecraft, which was launched in September 1977, had become unresponsive owing to a problem caused by low power levels, forcing it to switch to a transmitter that NASA’s Deep Space Network could not detect. According to a report, the repair ensures that the probe, which is currently 15.4 billion miles (24.9 billion kilometers) away, will continue to transmit data from its four operating instruments.

According to a Space.com story, the problem developed when engineers told Voyager 1 to turn on a heater for its equipment. The spacecraft’s fault protection system turned off the primary X-band transmitter, as non-essential systems had already been turned off to save energy.

The system then switched to a lower-power S-band transmitter, resulting in quiet from the spaceship. The X-band transmitter has been restored, allowing data collection to resume, including for the Low-Energy Charged Particle Experiment and the Plasma Waves Experiment.

In recent years, Voyager 1 has encountered many communication issues, including distorted telemetry in 2022 and 2023. Its twin, Voyager 2, has also seen difficulties, with a science instrument switched down in September due to power outages. Despite a falling power supply of four watts each year, both spacecraft continue to perform far above expectations.

Since their launch, the Voyager probes have provided unprecedented information on the outer solar system, including extensive views of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The spacecraft are already navigating interstellar space and are anticipated to continue their voyage even if they lose power completely. According to NASA officials, efforts to extend the probes’ operational lifespan continue as they reach their 50th anniversary in 2027.