Voyager Spacecraft 50th Anniversary: What Happens as Power Fades?

Voyager spacecraft are turning 50 years old, but their power is running low. This means fewer instruments can work, and the mission might end in 10 years.
By Newsroom | Space, Technology |

The Voyager spacecraft, humanity's farthest-reaching emissaries, are approaching their 50th anniversary. These probes, carrying messages and data from Earth, continue their silent journey through interstellar space. As their power sources diminish and their distance from home grows, a concerted effort is underway to ensure their continued operation and to reflect on the messages they carry about life on Earth. This endeavor involves complex engineering choices and a unique opportunity for global participation in sending a final, collective message.

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A Voyage into the Unknown

Launched in 1977, the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft embarked on an ambitious mission to explore the outer planets of our solar system and venture beyond. They are the only human-made objects to have reached interstellar space, a vast expanse far from the Sun's influence.

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  • Voyager 1 is now the farthest human-made object from Earth, continuously traversing interstellar space.

  • Voyager 2 followed a different path, visiting Uranus and Neptune, and is also in interstellar space.

  • The probes are traveling away from Earth at an accelerating pace, with Voyager 1 moving approximately 912,000 miles farther away each day.

The Challenge of Distance and Power

Maintaining contact with the Voyager probes presents significant challenges due to their immense distance and the dwindling power of their onboard generators.

Read More: Distant Planet System Mixes Rocky and Gas Planets, Puzzles Scientists

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  • The original generators provided around 450 watts of power.

  • Voyager 1 currently has four instruments operating, while Voyager 2 has five.

  • NASA faces difficult decisions about which instruments to power, often prioritizing those that consume the least energy.

  • Scientists hope to keep the missions operational for up to another decade, but declining power levels are the primary limitation.

  • Efforts to restore communication, such as a fix for a computer malfunction on Voyager 1 in late 2023, have been successful, allowing science data to be transmitted again.

Messages for the Universe

The Voyager spacecraft carry a unique payload: the Golden Record. This phonograph record contains sounds and images intended to portray the diversity of life and culture on Earth to any potential extraterrestrial civilization that might discover them.

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  • The record includes greetings in 55 languages, music, and sounds from Earth.

  • It serves as a "cosmic love letter" and a testament to humanity's desire to explore and understand the universe.

  • To commemorate anniversaries, opportunities have arisen for people to contribute messages to be beamed to the Voyager probes.

  • These crowdsourced messages are intended to be a collective representation of humanity.

Australia's Role in Deep Space Communication

Australia has played a crucial role in the Voyager mission through its tracking stations, particularly the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex (CDSCC).

  • The CDSCC, operated by CSIRO, is equipped with radio telescopes essential for communicating with the distant spacecraft.

  • It continues to receive signals from both Voyager probes daily.

  • Currently, the CDSCC is the only tracking station capable of exchanging signals with Voyager 2, due to its current position in its outward trajectory.

Continuing the Exploration

Despite the challenges, the Voyager probes continue to yield scientific data and surprise their creators.

  • The probes are measuring interactions between the heliopause (the boundary of the Sun's influence) and interstellar space.

  • Discoveries made by Voyager, such as lightning on Jupiter, have significantly advanced our understanding of the solar system.

  • The spacecraft are also capable of detecting and taking corrective action for their own problems, a remarkable feat for aging technology.

Expert Insights

"We are thinking about you all… With peace & hope from the people of planet Earth."— Voyager's Final Message Project

"NASA's Voyager 1 and 2 are the only human-made objects to reach interstellar space."— Business Insider (Article 2)

"Keeping in touch with NASA’s two aging Voyager spacecraft is getting harder to do as they get farther away and their power sources dwindle."— Los Angeles Times (Article 3)

"Voyagers only talk to Australia. The Canberra tracking station continues to receive signals from both Voyager spacecraft every day…"— The Conversation (Article 4)

"The Loneliness of the Voyager - NASA's Voyager Mission 50th Anniversary… it wanders eternally through interstellar space."— LEGO Ideas (Article 5)

"One of the purposes was to send a message to extraterrestrials who might find the spacecraft as the spacecraft journeyed through interstellar space."— NASA Science (Article 6)

"Now, Voyager, sail thou forth, to seek and find. All of us are behind you, and ahead of you is everything."— NASA Science (Article 7)

"The space agency is crowdsourcing a message to beam to the most distant man-made object in the universe to commemorate its launch."— Sky News (Article 8)

"With the spacecraft’s computer now working again, the key factor limiting the life of Voyager 1 and its twin, Voyager 2, is declining power levels."— SpaceNews (Article 9)

"They’re ambassadors for us here on Earth.”— CNN (Article 13)

Conclusion and Future Implications

The Voyager mission stands as a testament to human ingenuity and our enduring curiosity about the cosmos. As the spacecraft approach their 50th anniversary and their operational life nears its potential end, the focus is on maximizing their scientific output and preserving their legacy.

  • The successful restoration of communication and data transmission from Voyager 1 following a computer malfunction demonstrates the resilience of the mission.

  • The ongoing challenge of dwindling power necessitates strategic decisions about instrument operation, with the hope of extending the mission's life into the next decade.

  • The Golden Record and opportunities for sending new messages underscore the symbolic importance of Voyager as humanity's ambassadors to the universe.

  • The continuous data stream from these distant probes continues to enhance our understanding of interstellar space.

  • Future endeavors may involve the first spacecraft reaching a light-day distance from Earth in 2026, a significant milestone in space exploration.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why is the Voyager mission's 50th anniversary important?
The Voyager spacecraft, launched in 1977, are celebrating 50 years of exploring space. They are the only human-made objects to reach interstellar space, carrying messages from Earth.
Q: What problems are the Voyager spacecraft facing now?
The main problem is that their power sources are getting weaker. This means fewer instruments can be turned on, and scientists must choose which ones to use. They hope to keep them working for about 10 more years.
Q: How far away are the Voyager spacecraft?
Voyager 1 is the farthest human-made object from Earth. Voyager 1 is moving about 912,000 miles farther away every day, traveling through interstellar space.
Q: What is the Golden Record on the Voyager spacecraft?
The Golden Record is a special record on the Voyager spacecraft that contains sounds and pictures from Earth. It is meant to tell aliens about life and culture on our planet.
Q: How does Australia help the Voyager mission?
Australia's Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex helps talk to the Voyager spacecraft. It is the only station that can currently send signals to Voyager 2 because of its location.
Q: What is the future for the Voyager mission?
Scientists are trying to keep the Voyager spacecraft working for another decade, but power is the main issue. They are also collecting new messages to beam to the spacecraft as a final message from Earth.