The oldest human-made spacecraft in history, Voyager 1, is facing difficulties in transcribing data to planet Earth, scientists have suspected a major crack in the spacecraft. NASA’s Voyager 1 has been travelling in space for the past 46 years and has traveled 24 billion kilometers.
NASA has disclosed a current communication glitch as the probe is situated 15 billion miles away. Equipped with three onboard computers, Voyager 1 has a dedicated system for flight data and another for engineering data, providing information on its status. The spacecraft communicates with Earth using binary code, a language based on zeroes and ones. However, a recent issue has emerged as the probe consistently sends the same code snippet, raising concerns about a possible malfunction.
NASA’s Voyager 1 space probe, launched in 1977 on a five-year mission to explore Jupiter and Saturn, has begun sending back confusing data to Earth. Surprisingly, it has continued its journey into space for the past 46 years, becoming the first human-made object to exit the solar system, as reported by the BBC. Although it typically takes over 22 hours for signals from Voyager 1 to reach Earth in 2023,
The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, responsible for managing robotic missions, addressed the situation on social media, mentioning, “The NASA Voyager team is investigating an issue with Voyager 1’s Flight Data System. The spacecraft is receiving and executing commands sent from Earth but not returning usable data.”
Last year, NASA decided to deactivate certain systems on both Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 to extend their operational lifespan until their plutonium power sources run out. Expectations are that these probes will remain operational until 2030. Beyond this point, their transmitters and instruments will cease to function, leading to a shutdown as they continue drifting through space.
These extraordinary spacecraft hold the distinction of being the only human-made objects to operate beyond the heliosphere, the expansive region of the Sun’s magnetic fields and particles that extend far beyond Pluto’s orbit.
Shambhu Kumar is a science communicator, making complex scientific topics accessible to all. His articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
