NASA has shut off one among Voyager 2’s scientific devices to protect its remaining energy because it journeys by means of interstellar house. The spacecraft, launched on 20 August 1977, is at present positioned 12.eight billion miles from Earth and is exploring past the photo voltaic system. Since leaving the heliosphere on 5 November 2018, Voyager 2 has been learning the interstellar setting utilizing 4 lively science devices. Nevertheless, because the probe’s energy provide step by step declines, NASA has needed to make the powerful resolution of deactivating one other instrument.
Managing diminishing energy provides
Voyager 2, together with its counterpart Voyager 1, is powered by decaying plutonium, which diminishes its obtainable power by round four watts every year. To increase its operational life, NASA has progressively turned off non-essential techniques and a few devices. As of now, six of the spacecraft’s ten unique devices have been deactivated. On September 26, 2024, the choice was made to change off the plasma science instrument, which had performed a pivotal function in confirming the probe’s exit from the heliosphere by detecting the drop in photo voltaic particles.
Key information from the plasma science instrument
The plasma science instrument featured 4 “cups” to measure charged particles, three of which had been pointed in direction of the Solar and monitored photo voltaic winds whereas contained in the heliosphere. After the spacecraft moved past the heliosphere, these cups stopped gathering information, leaving just one operational. This remaining cup supplied helpful information at intervals when Voyager 2 carried out its periodic 360-degree rotation.
Voyager 2’s future
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory confirmed that the plasma instrument was turned off with none problems, and the spacecraft continues to function usually. Because the remaining devices gather worthwhile information, engineers will proceed to observe the probe’s power reserves to find out when additional shutdowns will probably be needed, permitting the mission to proceed for so long as attainable.
