Approximately 46 years after NASA's Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft began their epic space exploration journeys, the long-standing software on board continues to be updated remotely.
Voyager 1 spacecraft travels through interstellar space. Photo: NASA
Engineers are updating and repairing software to manage the faulty data that Voyager 1 began transmitting last year. A series of other updates aim to prevent dirt buildup in both of the spacecraft's propulsion systems. These updates will help the spacecraft maintain communication with Earth for as long as possible, Space reported on October 23.
"The engineering team is facing many challenges for which we don't have a guidebook," said Linda Spilker, a scientist working on the Voyager project at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "But they keep coming up with creative solutions."
In May 2022, ground control began receiving nonsensical data from the Astronautical Control and Navigation System (AACS) on Voyager 1, which was pointing the probe's antenna toward Earth. Tests revealed the AACS hardware was functioning perfectly, but for an unknown reason, it was transmitting its telemetry data through an unused onboard computer, causing the data to become inaccurate.
However, the fix doesn't explain why AACS redirected the telemetry data. That mystery could reveal a larger problem with Voyager 1. But engineers believe the repair work can resolve the issue at its root, at least after the update transmission is complete following the more than 20-hour journey to Voyager 1.
The Voyager probes can independently adjust their antennas by firing their thrusters. However, each engine firing leaves a residue in the fuel intake pipe. Over decades of operation, this residue accumulates. Engineers are concerned the pipe could soon become completely clogged. Therefore, in September and October 2023, they began rotating the spacecraft more frequently to reduce the frequency of engine firings. If successful, this adjustment will allow the spacecraft to operate for at least another five years.
An Khang (According to Space )
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