NASA Restores Voyager 1 Communications After October Power Glitch

The 47-year-old spacecraft, located 15.4 billion miles from Earth, resumes data transmission using its primary X-band transmitter.

Voyager 1 lost contact in October 2024 after a power issue triggered its fault protection system, switching off its primary X-band transmitter.
NASA engineers reconnected with the spacecraft using a weaker S-band transmitter and successfully reactivated the X-band system on November 18, 2024.
The communication disruption occurred when activating a heater caused the probe to conserve energy by shutting down non-essential systems.
Voyager 1, launched in 1977, continues to operate four of its original ten science instruments, transmitting data about interstellar space.
Despite declining power levels, NASA is working to extend the operational lifespan of both Voyager 1 and its twin, Voyager 2, as they approach their 50th anniversary in 2027.