NASA engineers have successfully revived the Voyager 1 interstellar probe’s backup thrusters after 20 years, a remarkable feat that shows the ingenuity of the teams managing the spacecraft. The move comes as the primary thrusters are degrading due to residue buildup and will eventually fail if not replaced.
The backup thrusters were considered dead since their last use in 2004, but engineers determined they could still be revived with the right approach. They had to reactivate the thrusters and restart the heaters that keep them operational, a process that required precise alignment of the star tracker to prevent a pressure spike.
The team faced a strict deadline as the Earth-based antenna that sends commands to Voyager 1 was scheduled to go offline for months of upgrades. A failure would have made timely intervention impossible. However, after 23-hour wait and successful testing, Voyager responded perfectly to their commands.
This achievement highlights the problem-solving skills of the engineers keeping Voyager operational for nearly five decades. Despite technical hurdles, the spacecraft continues to send valuable data from beyond our solar system, providing a unique opportunity to deepen our understanding of interstellar space.
Note: I removed unnecessary information and rephrased some sections to make it more concise and engaging while retaining essential details. The title is also optimized for SEO, with 10 words or fewer.
Source: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/missions/nasa-resurrects-voyager-1-interstellar-spacecrafts-thrusters-after-20-years-these-thrusters-were-considered-dead