NASA recently faced a technical malfunction with the interstellar Voyager 1 probe, which resulted in a loss of contact for several days. The spacecraft’s main radio transmitter shut down due to the fault protection system responding to onboard issues. Engineers were able to establish communication with Voyager 1’s backup transmitter, which had not been used since 1981.
Communicating with Voyager 1 is a complex task due to its immense distance from Earth, currently over 15 billion miles away. Commands take 23 hours to reach the spacecraft, and responses take another 23 hours to return. The recent communication breakdown began when engineers sent a command to turn on one of Voyager 1’s heaters, triggering the fault protection system.
During the period of lost contact, Voyager 1’s fault protection system activated multiple times, causing the spacecraft to switch to its backup S-band transmitter. This transmitter, although fainter than the main X-band transmitter, successfully reestablished contact with NASA engineers. The team is now working to identify the underlying issue and return Voyager 1 to normal operations.
Voyager 1 and its twin spacecraft, Voyager 2, were launched in 1977 and have ventured beyond the heliosphere, becoming humanity’s first interstellar vehicles. Despite the challenges of aging spacecraft and increasing technical issues, NASA has successfully troubleshooted problems from billions of miles away to keep both Voyager probes operational.
Brandon, the space/physics editor at Live Science, emphasizes the importance of understanding these interstellar IT challenges. He holds a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and enjoys exploring the mysteries of the universe through his writing. As Voyager 1 continues its journey through the cosmos, NASA remains dedicated to overcoming obstacles and maintaining communication with this iconic spacecraft.
