2023-05-02 09:32:37
Both probes are powered by generators that convert heat from decaying plutonium into electricity. A source of energy that is not immortal but NASA engineers were able to find a few instruments to close to save energy: the cameras and the radiators of the probes.
However, Despite this, Voyager 2 entered its last energy reserves… NASA finally found a way to divert power from a safety mechanism designed to activate if the probes circuit malfunctioned due to voltage variations. “Variable voltages present a risk to instruments, but we have determined that this is a small risk, and the alternative offers a great reward of being able to keep science instruments on longer.“said Suzanne Dodd, Voyager Project Manager at JPLin the press release. “We’ve been monitoring the spacecraft for a few weeks, and it looks like this new approach is working.“
A solution that might also be applied to Voyager 1, which still has fuel following the malfunction of an instrument that has not been used for years and therefore allows it to still have some energy. This decision will be taken next year.
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