NASA Extends Voyager 2 Mission by 1 Year as Probe Loses 4 Watts Annually
Updated
Updated · NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory · Aug 4
NASA Extends Voyager 2 Mission by 1 Year as Probe Loses 4 Watts Annually
3 articles · Updated · NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory · Aug 4
Summary
The “Big Bang” power-saving overhaul should keep Voyager 2’s three science instruments running for at least one extra year, delaying the need to shut another instrument before late 2026.
NASA engineers achieved that by switching off some powered devices, replacing others with lower-power alternatives, and still keeping the nearly 50-year-old spacecraft warm enough to operate.
Voyager 2’s margins had become razor thin because its radioisotope power system loses about 4 watts a year as plutonium decays, steadily reducing available electricity.
A similar device swap is planned for Voyager 1 as NASA tries to stretch both deep-space probes’ science missions despite dwindling power.