Voyager 1 spacecraft resumes sending data from beyond our solar system

Eric Henrikson
·2 min read
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SPACE (KXAN) — One of only two spacecraft built by humans to have left our solar system is alive and kicking. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory announced April 22 that Voyager 1 is sending engineering data back to Earth for the first time since November.

On November 14, 2023, Voyager 1 sent what was assumed to be its last message to Earth. Up until then, the spacecraft had sent science and engineering data for 46 years.

Scientists discovered that a single chip had malfunctioned. A piece of computer code needed to send back readable data was stuck in this chip. According to NASA, scientists were able to divide the code and move the pieces to several different chips.

NASA attempted a solution on April 18. Voyager 1 is so far away from Earth, it takes 22-and-a-half hours for a signal to reach the ship, and then the same time for it to get back. JPL scientists were able to confirm the solution worked on April 20.

FILE - In this Aug. 4, 1977, photo provided by NASA, the "Sounds of Earth" record is mounted on the Voyager 2 spacecraft in the Safe-1 Building at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla., prior to encapsulation in the protective shroud. After days of silence, NASA has heard from Voyager 2, more than 12 billion miles away in interstellar space. Flight controllers accidentally sent a wrong command nearly two weeks ago that tilted the spacecraft's antenna away from Earth and severed contact. The project manager said Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023 that the fact that the Deep Space Network has picked up a “heartbeat signal” means the 46-year-old craft is alive and operating. (AP Photo/NASA, File)
FILE – In this Aug. 4, 1977, photo provided by NASA, the “Sounds of Earth” record is mounted on the Voyager 2 spacecraft in the Safe-1 Building at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Voyager 2 is the twin of Voyager 1. (AP Photo/NASA, File)

Next steps for the mission include adjusting the code fix so that it sends back science data in addition to the engineering data.

Voyager 1 is currently 15 billion miles from Earth. It left Earth on September 5, 1977. It was launched 16 days after its twin spacecraft Voyager 2.

Voyager 1 is the most distant object humans have sent from home. During its mission, it has gathered data on Jupiter, Saturn, and Saturn’s moon Titan. It passed beyond out solar system on August 25, 2012. It may have enough power to continue to function until 2036.

On board both Voyager spacecrafts, besides scientific instruments, is a golden audio disc. The record includes photos of Earth, scientific information and music. The record is carried onboard just in case an alien civilization discovers the probe.

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