NASA has shut off certainly one of Voyager 2’s scientific devices to protect its remaining energy because it journeys by way of interstellar area. The spacecraft, launched on 20 August 1977, is at present positioned 12.8 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 atmosphere utilizing 4 energetic science devices. Nonetheless, because the probe’s energy provide progressively declines, NASA has needed to make the robust determination 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 4 watts annually. To increase its operational life, NASA has progressively turned off non-essential methods 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 position in confirming the probe’s exit from the heliosphere by detecting the drop in photo voltaic particles.
Key knowledge from the plasma science instrument
The plasma science instrument featured 4 “cups” to measure charged particles, three of which have been pointed in the 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 knowledge, leaving just one operational. This remaining cup supplied helpful knowledge 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 issues, and the spacecraft continues to function usually. Because the remaining devices gather worthwhile knowledge, engineers will proceed to observe the probe’s power reserves to find out when additional shutdowns might be needed, permitting the mission to proceed for so long as doable.