RESOLVING THE LEDGER
This is one outlet's own report from ScienceDaily — the article as it was filed. Other outlets are covering the same event; open the full story to compare every source side by side.
See the full story · 3 sources
NASA engineers have found a way to free up additional power aboard Voyager 2, helping the nearly 50-year-old spacecraft continue its scientific work for longer.
The effort, known as the "Big Bang," was carried out by engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The team simultaneously shut down certain powered components and replaced them with options that use less energy, while also making sure Voyager 2 stayed warm enough to function properly.
Voyager 2 and its twin, Voyager 1, rely on radioisotope thermoelectric generators, which produce electricity from heat released by decaying plutonium. As that plutonium supply steadily diminishes, each spacecraft loses about 4 watts of available power every year.
After nearly half a century in space, the Voyagers now have extremely limited power to spare. To keep the spacecraft operating, mission controllers have increasingly had to shut down systems and equipment that are no longer essential.
Since 2024, declining power levels have forced the team to switch off two science instruments on each Voyager spacecraft (each spacecraft has 10 instruments; others had been turned off previously because they were only used for the mission's planetary encounters).
Without the "Big Bang" power saving effort, the Voyager team would have needed to turn off another instrument aboard Voyager 2 before the end of 2026. The newly freed power is expected to keep the spacecraft's three remaining instruments operating for at least one additional year.
NASA plans to carry out the same power-saving swap on Voyager 1, which is currently farther from Earth than Voyager 2. The mission team expects to complete that work in the coming months.
Materials provided by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory . Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Scientists Say Eating Less Protein May Help You Live Longer
A Blood Test Years Before Cancer May Reveal a Hidden Warning Sign
Any Level of Physical Activity May Slow Cognitive Decline, Study Suggests
Cancer Cells Exploit a Hidden Immune “Off Switch”
Stay informed with ScienceDaily's free email newsletter, updated daily and weekly. Or view our many newsfeeds in your RSS reader:
Keep up to date with the latest news from ScienceDaily via social networks:
Tell us what you think of ScienceDaily -- we welcome both positive and negative comments. Have any problems using the site? Questions?
AIPROPX is an independent multi-source news index — we track, compare, and connect coverage from across the web into one place you won't find anywhere else.