NASA Beams New Software to Voyager 2 from 13.3 Billion Miles Away
NASA has sent a software enhancement, referred to as the 'Big Bang,' to the Voyager 2 spacecraft, which is currently situated nearly 13.3 billion miles from Earth. This update comes 49 years after its launch on a Titan III rocket and aims to save power by deactivating certain devices and substituting them with lower-energy options. Voyager 2's radioisotope thermoelectric generators experience a loss of approximately four watts of power each year, resulting in 'razor thin' power margins. This update will ensure that its three remaining instruments remain functional for at least another year. A similar update is planned for Voyager 1. Voyager 2 entered interstellar space on December 10, 2018, and has made notable discoveries, including new moons and rings around Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune.
Key facts
- NASA sent a software update nicknamed 'Big Bang' to Voyager 2.
- Voyager 2 is nearly 13.3 billion miles (21.4 billion kilometers) from Earth.
- The update turns off some devices and replaces them with lower-power alternatives to save power.
- Voyager 2's power margins are 'razor thin' after nearly 49 years in space.
- Without the update, NASA would have had to turn off another instrument on Voyager 2.
- The savings should keep Voyager 2's three remaining instruments operating for at least an extra year.
- NASA plans to perform the same update on Voyager 1.
- Voyager 2 entered interstellar space on December 10, 2018.
Entities
Institutions
- NASA
Locations
- Earth
- Jupiter
- Saturn
- Uranus
- Neptune