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9mo ago

NASA Powers Down Voyager 2's Plasma Instrument to Conserve Energy

The decision aims to extend the spacecraft's mission into the 2030s as it continues to explore interstellar space.

NASA
The Voyager 2 spacecraft before it launched in 1977.
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Overview

  • Voyager 2's plasma science instrument, crucial for studying solar winds and interstellar plasma, was shut down on September 26, 2024.
  • The spacecraft's power supply, which decreases by about 4 watts annually due to decaying plutonium, necessitated the shutdown to save energy.
  • Voyager 2, launched in 1977, is currently over 12 billion miles from Earth and remains the only probe to visit Uranus and Neptune.
  • Four instruments remain active on Voyager 2, continuing to collect data on magnetic fields and cosmic rays beyond the heliosphere.
  • NASA aims to keep at least one instrument operational on Voyager 2 into the 2030s, despite its diminishing power reserves.