NASA has announced plans to shut down parts of its aging twin Voyager spacecraft, Voyager 1 and 2, to extend their lifespan in interstellar space. The probes, launched in 1977, are still operational despite a dwindling power supply.
The decision comes as both spacecraft face technical issues. Voyager 1 experienced seven months of problems, including unreadable data, before resuming normal operation last June. In contrast, Voyager 2 went dark for two weeks after requiring technical assistance three years earlier.
To conserve energy and extend their mission, NASA will turn off the cosmic ray subsystem experiment on Voyager 1 and the low-energy charged particle instrument on Voyager 2 by February 25 and March 25, respectively. The probes will continue to run three science instruments but shut down seven others that have been offline for various periods.
Voyager project scientists emphasize the significance of extending the probes’ lifespan, as they explore regions unvisited before. “Every minute of every day, the Voyagers explore a region where no spacecraft has gone before,” said Linda Spilker. Despite the challenges, NASA remains committed to making the most of its trailblazing spacecraft.
However, some critics view the agency’s efforts as an attempt to keep the probes functional until their 50th anniversary in 2027, which seems ambitious given the current state of their systems.
Source: https://www.engadget.com/science/space/nasa-is-shutting-down-parts-of-voyager-1-and-2-to-extend-their-lifespan-151322570.html