- NASA’s Voyager 1, the farthest human-made object, is back online after technical issues.
- The issue was fixed by moving code to a new part of the flight data subsystem (FDS).
- All four scientific instruments are now sending clear data to Earth.
NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft, the most distant human-made object from Earth, is back online and functioning well. After resolving technical issues that caused a long silence, all four of its scientific instruments are now sending clear data to Earth.
In November 2023, Voyager 1 began transmitting confusing data due to a problem with its flight data subsystem (FDS), which packages data to send to Earth. Given that Voyager 1 is 46 years old and 15 billion miles (24 billion kilometers) away from Earth, this wasn’t entirely unexpected. NASA’s team identified a faulty chip in the FDS and moved the code to a new part of the subsystem. By April 20, 2024, the spacecraft started sending clear data from two of its instruments, and now all four are operational again.
Voyager 1, launched in 1977, initially studied Jupiter and Saturn before traveling into interstellar space in 2012. Despite its age and distance, it continues to provide valuable data about this unknown region. Even if it had ceased to function, Voyager 1’s mission would still be considered a significant success.
With Voyager 1 back online, NASA plans to perform more maintenance to keep it in good shape. This includes fixing its timekeeping software and maintaining its digital tape recorder, which measures plasma waves. The hope is that Voyager 1 will continue its journey and send data for many more years.
