Overview
- NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory executed a coordinated power‑saving procedure on Voyager 2 that shut some systems and swapped in lower‑power alternatives to free up energy.
- The change preserves power for the spacecraft’s three remaining science instruments and should keep them operating for at least an extra year, according to NASA statements and mission team updates.
- Engineers planned and tested the sequence carefully because commands take many hours to reach the probe and thermal limits matter when heaters are turned off.
- JPL intends to apply the same procedure to Voyager 1 after similar tests, with the team hoping these steps can push both missions’ science return into the 2030s if conditions allow.
- The Voyagers run on radioisotope thermoelectric generators that lose about four watts of power a year, so teams must keep trading instrument and heater use to preserve contact and unique measurements from beyond the heliosphere.