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Interstellar Mission

All articles tagged with #interstellar mission

Voyager 2 Survives on a Big Bang Power Swap, Extending its Interstellar Mission
space9 days ago

Voyager 2 Survives on a Big Bang Power Swap, Extending its Interstellar Mission

NASA performed a coordinated 'Big Bang' power-and-thermal swap on Voyager 2, freeing almost 10 watts to keep its three active instruments on for at least a year despite ~4 watts/year decline from the RTGs at 143 AU. It’s not a repair, but a load reallocation to manage heat and power on a spacecraft with razor-thin margins, no repair port, and no spare parts. The rearrangement preserves the magnetometer, plasma-wave subsystem, and cosmic-ray instrument, with Voyager 1 slated for a similar reconfiguration and the possibility of continued operation into the 2030s if conditions hold.

via Space Daily|
#big-bang-power-swap#interstellar-mission#nasa
NASA's Juno and Hubble Observe Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS Near Jupiter
science1 year ago

NASA's Juno and Hubble Observe Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS Near Jupiter

NASA's Juno spacecraft could potentially intercept the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS as it approaches Jupiter in 2025, offering a rare opportunity to study this enigmatic object up close, which may even be artificial in origin. The mission would involve a maneuver around Jupiter to rendezvous with 3I/ATLAS, providing valuable data on its composition and nature, whether natural or possibly alien technology.

via Universe Today|
#3iatlas#interstellar-mission#interstellar-objects
Scientists Propose Laser-Powered Nanocraft to Explore Black Holes
science1 year ago

Scientists Propose Laser-Powered Nanocraft to Explore Black Holes

Astrophysicist Cosimo Bambi proposes sending tiny 'nanocrafts' to study black holes, using laser propulsion to reach one-third the speed of light over 70 years, aiming to answer fundamental questions about black holes and physics under extreme conditions. Despite technological and detection challenges, the mission exemplifies human ambition to explore the universe's deepest mysteries.

via Universe Today|
#black-holes#cosmology#interstellar-mission
NASA's Voyager Probes Face Imminent Shutdown as Power Fades
science-and-technology1 year ago

NASA's Voyager Probes Face Imminent Shutdown as Power Fades

NASA's Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 probes, launched in 1977, are nearing the end of their missions as their nuclear batteries deplete. These batteries, which convert heat from decaying Plutonium-238 into energy, are running low, prompting NASA to gradually shut down systems to conserve power. Despite communication challenges, both probes continue to send data from beyond the heliosphere, with hopes they will last until their 50th anniversary in 2027. Once power is exhausted, the probes will drift indefinitely through space.

via Jalopnik|
#interstellar-mission#nasa#nuclear-batteries
"NASA Races Against Time to Repair Voyager 1 Before Its Inevitable End"
space-exploration2 years ago

"NASA Races Against Time to Repair Voyager 1 Before Its Inevitable End"

NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft, now over 15 billion miles away, has been sending back nonsensical messages to Earth since mid-November, indicating a serious malfunction. The team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is working tirelessly to troubleshoot the issue, but the aging spacecraft's primitive technology poses challenges. Despite efforts to extend its lifespan, Voyager 1's power supply will eventually run out, marking the end of its scientific mission. Plans for a new mission to send another probe even farther into interstellar space are being considered for the 2030s.

via NPR|
#interstellar-mission#nasa#space-exploration