NASA’s Voyager 1, launched in 1977, has been sending back invaluable scientific data for over four decades. However, after more than 45 years of service, the probe has encountered a perplexing problem: it’s transmitting only binary code – a repetitive sequence of ones and zeros.
The issue lies with the spacecraft’s primary computer system, specifically the flight data system (FDS), which is responsible for processing and compressing scientific data. Normally, this data would be sent through the telecommunications unit (TMU) as a neatly packaged signal. But instead, Voyager 1 is stuck in a loop, sending back only zeros and ones, making it impossible to retrieve any usable data.
To resolve the issue, NASA engineers attempted a power cycle, but it didn’t work. The real challenge lies in the fact that Voyager 1 is now in interstellar space, with a staggering distance of over 24 billion kilometers between the probe and Earth. This means there’s a 45-hour delay for each command and response, making it nearly impossible to test multiple solutions in quick succession.
The issue of consulting decades-old documentation adds complexity to the problem-solving process. The original engineers who designed the Voyager spacecraft couldn’t have anticipated the challenges of maintaining such a long-lived mission. NASA is working diligently to figure out how to solve Voyager 1’s technical difficulties, but the exact timeline for a solution remains unclear.
Despite the challenges, the Voyager mission remains one of the greatest feats of space exploration, and the spirit of discovery continues to drive the team forward. With patience and ingenuity, NASA engineers hope to get Voyager 1 back on track, even if it takes time.
Source: https://jasondeegan.com/voyager-1-troubles-the-distant-space-probe-starts-sending-nonsensical-data-back-to-earth