Overview
- NASA's Voyager 2, launched August 20, 1977, remains in interstellar space and is still transmitting data to Earth through the Deep Space Network.
- In July 2026 engineers ran tests and executed a deliberate power swap that lowers onboard heating to reduce energy draw from the radioisotope thermoelectric generator.
- The change lets three science instruments keep operating while nonessential systems were turned off to save roughly four watts of RTG output lost each year.
- Communications and commanding rely on the Deep Space Station 43 antenna in Canberra, so long signal delays and past antenna outages remain constraints on operations.
- Voyager 2’s extended mission continues to provide unique in-situ measurements of the heliosphere boundary and interstellar environment that no other active craft can supply.