NASA’s Voyager 1 Probe Stopped Communicating—And It Could Take Weeks to Fix
The space agency identified an issue with one of the spacecraft’s computers as the source of the problem but said engineers could take weeks to find a solution.
An artist illustration of one of NASA’s twin Voyager spacecraft. [Courtesy: Caltech/NASA-JPL]
Key Takeaways:
Voyager 1 is experiencing a critical communication issue with its flight data system (FDS), preventing it from sending usable science and engineering data back to Earth.
The 46-year-old spacecraft, over 15 billion miles away, is stuck transmitting a repetitive binary pattern, and an initial reboot attempt by NASA failed.
Solving the problem is complicated by the probe's age, requiring engineers to consult decades-old documents, and the immense distance causes significant delays in testing solutions, with a fix expected to take several weeks.
That’s a question NASA is scrambling to answer. The longest-operating spacecraft in history (alongside its twin Voyager 2) is apparently experiencing an issue with one of its onboard computers—and now it can’t phone home.
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Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.
