NASA Figured Out How To Keep Its 48-Year-Old Voyager 2 Probe Running For Yet Another Year

NASA has extended the operational life of Voyager 2 by implementing power-saving measures, allowing the probe to continue generating scientific data for an additional year. Voyager 1 will also undergo similar changes in the coming months. Launched in 1977, both Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 rely on radioisotope thermoelectric generators, which produce heat through the decay of plutonium.

As the supply of plutonium depletes, the probes require more power to maintain their systems, with the power supply reducing by about four watts annually per spacecraft.

To conserve energy, engineers have reduced Voyager 2's power requirements by disabling certain non-essential devices and utilizing lower-power alternatives. These measures have helped extend the spacecraft's operational capabilities, despite the limited power margins. As a result, Voyager 2 has had to turn off two of its science instruments since 2024 due to the reduced power supply.

Although some instruments were deactivated after the spacecraft completed their historic planetary flybys decades ago, others were turned off due to power constraints.

With the recent power-saving adjustments, both Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 can maintain all three of their remaining science instruments operational for at least another year. The mission, managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is a testament to the ingenuity and persistence of engineers in extending the life of these historic spacecraft.