Once ‘dead’ thrusters on the farthest spacecraft from Earth are in action again | CNN
www.cnn.com
NASA engineers have revived old thrusters on Voyager 1 to prevent a clog from endangering the mission during a planned communications blackout.

Engineers at NASA say they have successfully revived thrusters aboard Voyager 1, the farthest spacecraft from our planet, in the nick of time before a planned communications blackout.

A side effect of upgrades to an Earth-based antenna that sends commands to Voyager 1 and its twin, Voyager 2, the communications pause could have occurred when the probe faced a critical issue — thruster failure — leaving the space agency without a way to save the historic mission. The new fix to the vehicle’s original roll thrusters, out of action since 2004, could help keep the veteran spacecraft operating until it’s able to contact home again next year.

Voyager 1, launched in September 1977, uses more than one set of thrusters to function properly. Primary thrusters carefully orient the spacecraft so it can keep its antenna pointed at Earth. This ensures that the probe can send back data it collects from its unique perspective 15.5 billion miles (25 billion kilometers) away in interstellar space, as well as receive commands sent by the Voyager team.

  • meathorse@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    2 days ago

    That’s cool, but forget the thrusters, how is the battery pack on that thing still keeping it powered!?

    • ContriteErudite@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      2 days ago

      The spacecraft uses radioisotope thermoelectric generators. It converts the heat generated by radioactive decay of plutonium into electricity. Engineers have been able to keep it working all this time by selectively powering down unused systems.

      • Hupf@feddit.orgEnglish
        0·
        1 day ago

        Good news: I may have a solution to my heating problem. Bad news: it involves me digging up the radioisotope thermoelectric generator. Now, if I remember my training correctly, one of the lessons was titled: “Don’t dig up the big box of plutonium, Mark.” I get it; RTGs are good for spacecraft, but if they rupture around humans… no more humans, which is why we buried it when we arrived. And planted that flag so we would never be stupid enough to accidentally go near it again. But, as long as I don’t break it… [trails off, then starts laughing] I almost just said “Everything will be fine,” out loud. Look, the point is, I’m not cold anymore.