NASA engineers recently received data from Voyager 1 for the first time in five months, overcoming a communication issue that plagued the spacecraft. Voyager 1, situated about 15 billion miles away and aged at 46 years, encountered trouble with its flight data system last November when it started transmitting an unintelligible repeating code pattern.
Despite continuing to emit a radio signal, the spacecraft failed to provide usable data. However, a breakthrough occurred on April 20 when engineers received coherent data indicating Voyager 1's healthy status and proper functioning. This achievement followed a series of innovative troubleshooting steps by the mission team.
Using a "poke" command on March 1, engineers attempted to restart Voyager 1's computer system to diagnose the problem. They then identified a specific part of the flight data system that stood out from the garbled data. Further investigation revealed that 3% of the system's memory was corrupted, likely due to a malfunctioning chip.
Unable to repair the chip, the team devised a solution to store the affected code elsewhere in the system's memory. Dividing the code into sections and distributing it across different locations, they ensured its functionality. By sending commands to relocate the code on April 18, engineers confirmed its success on April 20, enabling the reception of readable engineering data from Voyager 1.
In the upcoming weeks, the team plans to relocate other affected parts of the system's software to restore data collection, including valuable science data. Voyager 1, along with its twin Voyager 2, launched in 1977, continues its historic journey through interstellar space, providing insights into the cosmos beyond our solar system. Despite encountering various challenges over the years, the spacecraft persist, astonishing the mission team with their resilience and longevity.
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