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Voyager 1 pauses a science instrument to extend its interstellar mission

1 min read
Source: CNN
Voyager 1 pauses a science instrument to extend its interstellar mission
Photo: CNN
TL;DR

NASA commanded April 17 to shut down Voyager 1’s Low-energy Charged Particles instrument to conserve power as it drifts deeper into interstellar space, mirroring a similar move on Voyager 2 last year. Engineers hope a bold “Big Bang” power-swap upgrade—first tested on Voyager 2 this spring and then on Voyager 1 in July—will keep the venerable probes producing data for about another year, helping mark Voyager 1’s 50th anniversary while two other instruments remain active.

Topics:sciencespace#interstellar-space#lecp#nasa#power-management#space#voyager-1
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  1. Voyager 1 shuts off instrument to buy time before ‘Big Bang’ fix to extend the mission  CNN
  2. NASA shuts off another Voyager 1 instrument as humanity's most distant spacecraft prepares for risky 'Big Bang' maneuver to save power  Live Science
  3. NASA Shuts Off Instrument on Voyager 1 to Keep Spacecraft Operating  NASA Science (.gov)
  4. Another Instrument Shut Down on Voyager 1 to Extend its Interstellar Mission  Universe Today
  5. (Almost) A Eulogy for Voyager  Nautilus | Science

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