Hyderabad: NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft briefly lost contact with mission control after missing two scheduled communications sessions in October. The spacecraft unexpectedly resumed contact before engineers could send repair commands.
The incident occurred on October 18 and 19, when NASA’s Deep Space Network failed to receive signals from the distant spacecraft. Voyager 1 re-established communication on October 20.
No further communication outages have been reported since then. However, engineers are still investigating what caused the interruption.
The mission team discovered that one set of thrusters had shut down. Voyager 1’s backup thrusters automatically took over to maintain the spacecraft’s orientation and stability.
These small engines help point the spacecraft in the correct direction. Its onboard computers automatically activate backup systems when they detect problems with the active thrusters.
Voyager 1 Faces New Technical Challenges
Kareem Badaruddin, Voyager mission manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said the incident was unprecedented for the spacecraft.
He said engineers were relieved after communication resumed. The team is now working to understand what happened.
The latest incident adds to the technical challenges facing NASA’s longest-running space mission. Voyager 1’s plutonium-powered electrical system loses approximately four watts of power every year.
Engineers have gradually switched off science instruments to conserve the remaining energy. These measures are necessary to extend the spacecraft’s operational life.
Voyager 1 is also approaching a historic distance milestone. On November 18, it is expected to reach one light-day from Earth.
That distance is approximately 16.09 billion miles. A light-day represents the distance light travels in 24 hours.
At that distance, a radio signal from Earth will take around 24 hours to reach Voyager 1. Its response will require another 24 hours to return.
Voyager Spacecraft Continue Historic Journey
Voyager 1 was launched in 1977 to explore the outer planets. Its twin spacecraft, Voyager 2, was launched during the same year.
Together, the missions explored Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. They also studied 48 moons, planetary magnetic fields and rings.
In August 2012, Voyager 1 became the first spacecraft to enter interstellar space. Both Voyager spacecraft are now travelling beyond the Sun’s heliosphere.
Voyager 1 remains the farthest human-made object from Earth. It is travelling through space at approximately 38,000 miles per hour.
NASA Uses New Strategy to Save Voyager’s Power
Both spacecraft rely on radioisotope thermoelectric generators. These systems convert heat from decaying plutonium into electricity.
In September, NASA engineers introduced a power-saving strategy nicknamed “the Big Bang”. The plan involved switching off three instruments on each spacecraft and activating three lower-powered alternatives.
The operation required careful coordination. Some of the equipment also helps maintain the spacecraft’s temperature in extremely cold space.
NASA said the changes should allow the Cosmic Ray Subsystems, Magnetometers and Plasma Wave Subsystems to continue operating for at least another year.
These instruments measure high-energy particles, magnetic fields and waves in charged gas surrounding the spacecraft.
The latest communication interruption highlights the difficulties of operating spacecraft launched nearly five decades ago. However, Voyager 1 continues sending scientific information from beyond the solar system.
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