KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Voyager 1 Glitch: Voyager 1, the farthest human-made object, is transmitting incomprehensible 1s and 0s due to a communication glitch.
- NASA’s Distant Repair Efforts: NASA scientists, 24 billion kilometers away, are struggling to fix the glitch disrupting Voyager 1’s communication systems.
- Interstellar Communication Delay: Messages to interstellar space require 22.5 hours to reach Voyager 1, making it a time-consuming process for troubleshooting.
- Historical Glitches: This isn’t the first time Voyager 1 faced glitches; in 2022, it returned corrupted data through a malfunctioning computer, taking months to resolve.
- Outdated Technology Challenge: Engineers are revisiting decades-old documentation on Voyager’s outdated computers, which can process only 8,000 instructions per second, highlighting the technological gap.
- Limited Lifespan: Originally designed for Jupiter and Saturn exploration, Voyager 1’s aging technology poses challenges, and its future is uncertain as it drifts toward the distant edges of the Kuiper Belt.
In a cosmic communication puzzle, Voyager 1, the farthest human-made object from Earth, is beaming back a confusing stream of 1s and 0s, leaving scientists at NASA scratching their heads. The glitch, occurring a whopping 24 billion kilometers (15 billion miles) away, has experts desperately working to troubleshoot the issue.
While the spacecraft can still receive commands from Earth, transmitting messages to the vast expanse of interstellar space takes a staggering 22.5 hours. This lengthy lag means it will be days before scientists can determine if their attempts to revive the probe’s nearly half-century-old computers have been successful.
Outdated Tech in the Cosmos: NASA’s Struggle with Voyager 1
This isn’t the first time Voyager 1 has thrown a cosmic curveball. Back in 2022, the probe sent back data through a malfunctioning onboard computer, leading to corrupted messages. NASA engineers eventually cracked the code and fixed the problem, but the process took several months.
In the current glitch scenario, the hiccup originates from a communication breakdown between one of the three onboard computers, known as the probe’s flight data system (FDS), and a crucial subsystem, the telemetry modulation unit (TMU). This glitch not only disrupts the transmission of scientific data about interstellar space but also turns the engineering data describing the probe’s health into a tangled mess.
Despite attempts to reboot the FDS, the issue persists. NASA’s team is now delving into decades-old documents to unravel the workings of the probe and its antiquated computers, which can process a mere 8,000 instructions per second compared to the modern handheld devices that handle over 100 billion instructions a second.
Originally launched in 1977 to explore Jupiter and Saturn, both Voyager 1 and its sibling, Voyager 2, have exceeded their expected mission lifespan. Hurtling deeper into interstellar space, these probes are pushing the boundaries of their outdated technology.
Replacing these pioneers with a new probe in the same position would require decades. If the glitch is resolved, scientists hope Voyager 1 can soldier on until its 50th anniversary, though the inevitable is looming. Beyond the Oort Cloud, at the distant fringes of the Kuiper Belt, both probes are destined to fall silent as their generators run out of power.
As a poignant reminder of their finite existence, some propose sending a final message to Voyager 1 before its communication systems falter. Encoding these ‘last words’ into the onboard computers could preserve them for millennia. The recent glitch from Voyager 1 serves as a stark reminder: time is running out to bid farewell to these iconic space travelers.
Get latest updates on Google News
Source(s): Science Alert
The information above is curated from reliable sources, modified for clarity. Slash Insider is not responsible for its completeness or accuracy. Please refer to the original source for the full article. Views expressed are solely those of the original authors and not necessarily of Slash Insider. We strive to deliver reliable articles but encourage readers to verify details independently.
