NASA’s Voyager 1 and 2 probes, which have been exploring outer space since 1977, are set to receive new patches that will extend their service life by at least five years. Voyager 1 is currently the farthest man-made spacecraft from Earth and the first to leave the solar system, while Voyager 2 holds the record as the longest-operating space probe.
The Voyager mission engineering team is faced with the challenge of maintaining the detectors on the spacecraft, particularly in regards to the accumulated fuel residue in the thruster pipeline. Despite careful maintenance efforts by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), there is still a need to clean the propellant lines to ensure their uninterrupted functionality until 2037.
To address this issue, NASA engineers are developing a patch that will reduce the frequency of thruster firing and extend the overall launch time of the probes. Additionally, the patch will allow for less accurate positioning and increased drifting before the detectors enter emergency mode. Although some data may be lost in the process, the decision is expected to yield more data in the long run.
The patch will also rectify an incorrect state of the Voyager 1 attitude control system (AACS) that occurred in 2022. However, software updates come with their own risks. Given the distance of more than 15 billion miles and 12 billion miles between Earth and Voyager 1 and 2 respectively, it takes the team 18 hours to transmit signals to the spacecraft, and another 36 hours to receive any updates or confirmations.
The engineering team hopes that these upgrades will extend the life of the probes’ thrusters by at least five years, as the nuclear batteries on board are expected to last for only another two years. Linda Spilker, mission planning scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, expressed confidence in the team’s ability to overcome challenges and find innovative solutions to ensure the continued success of the Voyager mission.
With these upgrades, NASA’s Voyager 1 and 2 probes will be able to continue their exploration of the outer solar system and provide valuable data and insights for years to come.
Sources: NASA