New Delhi (The Stellar News): Few days ago, NASA in a very unpredictable resulting attempt succeeded in contacting the Voyager 1 space probe in interstellar space and activated its engines after decades of inactivity.
In 1997, Voyager 1 and its “twin brother” Voyager 2 were launched into space to explore the outer edges of our solar system. NASA expected that the devices would work for maximum 5 years. However, both probes continue to work even after 45 years. From time to time Voyager 1 communicates with NASA’s Deep Space Network to receive routine commands and transmit data. Sometimes it is very difficult to do this, because due to regular failures.
NASA enginners have to consult 45-years old instructions, as well as take into account outdated equipment. In 2017, NASA had to interact with the spacecraft and perform a minor course correction, launching micro motors unused for 37 years in a row.
Since 2014, scientists have noted that the main power plant of the spacecraft degrades over time. Instead, the enginners decided to use backup trajectory correction engines that had not been used for decades. The tests were successful the other day. But due to the huge distance to the device, which is more than 23 billion kilometers, the answer about the successful start of the engines was received only after 19 hours. Now, NASA plans to conduct the same tests with the other Voyager 2 spacecraft, another spacecraft moving in interstellar space.
A successful communication session and a successful engine launch test means that both Voyager spacecraft will be able to send important data from deep space until at least 2025. This is the farthest probe of humanity, so scientists are looking forward to the next scientific data from this device.
Information gathered from: https://universemagazine.com/en/nasa-woke-up-the-voyager-1-probe-at-a-distance-of-23-billion-km/
