Voyager 1 is the furthest any human object has ever long gone from Earth. It’s now over 24 billion kilometers (15 billion miles) from our planet, flying via interstellar area. Since its release in August 1977, the spacecraft has remained in touch with Earth, however during the last a number of months, that communique has turn out to be non-sensical. Are we about to lose the second-longest working spacecraft in human historical past? We spoke to NASA to determine. NASA has been tracking the problem since September when Voyager first began glitching. Talking to the Voyager workforce about the issue and their fixes, they advised us that they have got a greater figuring out of what the problem is now, they usually hope with that wisdom they may be able to go back Voyager 1 to running order.“In September 2023, a subject arose with the information getting back from Voyager 1. Usually transmitted in binary code, or a chain of 0s and 1s representing phrases, the probe was once as an alternative sending most effective alternating 1s and 0s. Successfully, the decision between the spacecraft and the Earth was once nonetheless hooked up, however Voyager’s “voice” was once changed with an uneventful dial tone,” the NASA Voyager engineering workforce defined to IFLScience.“As a result of this factor, scientists aren’t receiving any science information or updates concerning the probe’s well being and standing, together with data that may disclose the supply of the issue. Thru more than a few oblique approach, the workforce has concluded that the problem is possibly with the Flight Information Machine, one of the vital probe’s onboard computer systems. The workforce is operating exhausting to unravel the problem, however this procedure might take months.”The Flight Information Machine (FDS) configures each and every tool of Voyager 1 and controls its operations, in addition to amassing the entire information the spacecraft is taking in. It additionally codecs them for transmission, so it’s dangerous that we will be able to’t get it to paintings. Makes an attempt to resolve the glitch were unsuccessful to this point however extra advanced makes an attempt are anticipated to happen within the coming weeks.“The workforce has tried more than a few ‘easy’ fixes, comparable to resetting the FDS to the state it was once in earlier than the problem started,” the workforce advised IFLScience. “This week the workforce will ship extra instructions to the spacecraft to assemble details about the standing of the onboard methods. Within the coming weeks, the workforce expects to start out making extra competitive makes an attempt to reset more than a few methods that may affect the FDS.”Regardless of the burden restrictions after they have been introduced, the Voyagers had two FDSs each and every, however Voyager 1’s backup failed in 1981 (fortunately after it had handed Saturn). On the time, the general public at NASA concept Voyager 1 had performed its task, since, in contrast to Voyager 2, it will no longer be passing by way of any longer worlds.As a substitute, each Voyagers have mapped the heliopause, studied ultraviolet resources a ways from interference from the Solar, and investigated magnetic fields a ways from the Solar. Two of Voyager 1’s tools have failed, and 5 were grew to become off by way of flooring keep watch over as “now not priorities”. 4 (one not up to Voyager 2) are nonetheless operational, or no less than have been previous to the FDS glitching. The magnetometer and cosmic ray gadget particularly have confirmed precious within the prolonged undertaking. They’re most definitely nonetheless amassing information, however desire a functioning FDS to go back that data to us.“There’s no backup FDS, so if the workforce can not repair this factor, it will most probably be the tip of operations for Voyager 1. On the other hand, Voyager 2 is working nominally; the Voyager undertaking will proceed so long as one probe continues to be running,” the Voyager workforce mentioned. The location is severe however the workforce isn’t giving up hope, so neither we could. Very best of success to them as they figure out the way to get our interstellar traveler again in transparent communique with Earth.
