NASA reconnects with interstellar Voyager 1 spacecraft using technology not used in decades

After a little intermission successful communications with Voyager 1, NASA re-established a connection with the interstellar spacecraft located much than 15 cardinal miles distant from Earth, utilizing a frequence not utilized much than forty years.

Communication betwixt NASA and Voyager 1 has been spotty astatine times. In fact, the spacecraft stopped sending readable information to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory successful Southern California connected Nov. 14, 2023, and it was not until April that ngo controllers began receiving commands erstwhile again.

More recently, the spacecraft turned disconnected 1 of its 2 transmitters aft what engineers suspected was owed to Voyager 1’s responsibility extortion system, which autonomously responds to onboard issues.

For instance, if the spacecraft uses excessively overmuch powerfulness from its proviso source, responsibility extortion volition footwear successful to conserve powerfulness by turning disconnected non-essential systems, NASA explained.

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This illustration provided by NASA depicts  The astir distant spacecraft from Earth, Voyager 1, is seen successful this NASA illustration. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory successful Southern California announced this week that Voyager 1s 4 technological instruments are backmost successful concern aft a method occupation successful November. (NASA via AP, File)

The abstraction bureau said the formation squad sent a bid to activate 1 of the spacecraft’s heaters connected Oct. 16. The bid takes astir 23 hours to question from Earth to the spacecraft, and past different 23 hours for the information to question back.

Engineers suspected Voyager 1 should person had plentifulness of powerfulness to run the heather, though the responsibility extortion strategy was triggered.

On Oct. 18, the squad learned astir the issue, due to the fact that the Deep Space Network was incapable to observe Voyager 1’s signal. Communication betwixt NASA and the spacecraft occurs connected the X-band vigor transmitter, named for the frequence it uses.

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NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft is depicted successful this artist’s conception traveling done interstellar space, oregon the abstraction betwixt stars, which it entered successful 2012.  (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

The responsibility extortion strategy lowered the complaint the transmitter was capable to nonstop information backmost to NASA, engineers determined, truthful changing the X-band awesome the Deep Space Network needed to perceive for.

Once the awesome was located, Voyager 1 appeared to beryllium successful a unchangeable authorities and the squad began investigating what happened.

But connected Oct. 19, connection betwixt the squad and Voyager 1 stopped again, this clip entirely.

The squad believed Voyager 1’s responsibility extortion strategy was triggered 2 much times and switched to a 2nd vigor transmitter called the S-band, which uses little power.

NASA RE-ESTABLISHES COMMUNICATION WITH VOYAGER 1 INTERSTELLAR SPACECRAFT THAT WENT SILENT FOR MONTHS

The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory successful Pasadena, California. The JPL said it volition fto spell of 530 workers this week.  (NASA/JPL-Caltech)

Voyager 1 had not utilized the S-band to pass with Earth since 1981.

Engineers with the Deep Space Network were yet capable to observe the spacecraft’s communication from the S-band. Rather than hazard turning the X-band backmost connected earlier uncovering retired what caused the responsibility extortion strategy to trigger, the squad sent a bid connected Oct. 22 to corroborate the S-band transmitter was working.

Now, the squad is moving to stitchery accusation to assistance them find retired what happened truthful it tin instrumentality Voyager 1 backmost to mean operations.

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Voyager 1′s odyssey began successful 1977 erstwhile the spacecraft and its twin, Voyager 2, were launched connected a circuit of the state elephantine planets of the star system.

After beaming backmost dazzling postcard views of Jupiter’s elephantine reddish spot and Saturn’s shimmering rings, Voyager 2 hopscotched to Uranus and Neptune. Meanwhile, Voyager 1 utilized Saturn arsenic a gravitational slingshot to powerfulness itself past Pluto.