Posted on 08/01/2023 10:56:09 AM PDT by Red Badger
NASA's twin Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft were launched in 1977 and both are now in interstellar space. NASA says communication with Voyager 2 has been disrupted due a technical glitch. File Photo courtesy of NASA | License Photo July 31 (UPI) -- Communications with the far-flung Voyager 2 space probe have been temporarily severed due to unintended consequences resulting from routine commands, NASA says.
The U.S. space agency revealed Friday it no longer is able to communicate with the pioneering spacecraft launched in 1977 and meant to serve as an ambassador of human civilization to any extraterrestrial intelligence it may encounter.
NASA's twin Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft were launched in 1977 and both are now in interstellar space. NASA says communication with Voyager 2 has been disrupted due a technical glitch. File Photo courtesy of NASA | License Photo July 31 (UPI) -- Communications with the far-flung Voyager 2 space probe have been temporarily severed due to unintended consequences resulting from routine commands, NASA says.
The U.S. space agency revealed Friday it no longer is able to communicate with the pioneering spacecraft launched in 1977 and meant to serve as an ambassador of human civilization to any extraterrestrial intelligence it may encounter.
"A series of planned commands sent to NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft on July 21 inadvertently caused the antenna to point 2 degrees away from Earth," NASA said in a mission update. "As a result, Voyager 2 is currently unable to receive commands or transmit data back to Earth."
Scientists think the situation is only temporary because the craft is programmed to auto-correct its orientation several times each year in order to keep its antenna pointed toward Earth. Its next planned reorientation is set for Oct. 15.
Voyager 2 is currently in interstellar space, located almost 12.4 billion miles from Earth. The glitch, however, has rendered it unable to with the ground antennas of NASA's Deep Space Network.
Its twin, Voyager 1, is almost 15 billion miles from Earth and continues to operate normally. It has the distinction of being the farthest human-made object from Earth and the first to reach interstellar space.
The craft are probably best known for carrying "Golden Records," a kind of time capsule intended to communicate the story of humankind to extraterrestrials. The messages are embedded on 12-inch, gold-plated "phonograph records" containing sounds and images selected to portray the diversity of life and culture on Earth, according to NASA.
The Voyager spacecrafts remain beloved by the public and scientists because of their optimistic and idealistic missions. Their enduring appeal are evident in popular culture, with fictionalized versions of the probes appearing in first Star Trek film in 1979 and in the 1984 film Starman, in which one was responsible for bringing a benign alien played by Jeff Bridges to Earth.
Voyager 2 also remains the only spacecraft to pass close to the two outermost planets in the solar system -- Uranus in 1986 and Neptune in 1989.inadvertently caused the antenna to point 2 degrees away from Earth," NASA said in a mission update. "As a result, Voyager 2 is currently unable to receive commands or transmit data back to Earth."
Scientists think the situation is only temporary because the craft is programmed to auto-correct its orientation several times each year in order to keep its antenna pointed toward Earth. Its next planned reorientation is set for Oct. 15.
Voyager 2 is currently in interstellar space, located almost 12.4 billion miles from Earth. The glitch, however, has rendered it unable to with the ground antennas of NASA's Deep Space Network.
Its twin, Voyager 1, is almost 15 billion miles from Earth and continues to operate normally. It has the distinction of being the farthest human-made object from Earth and the first to reach interstellar space.
The craft are probably best known for carrying "Golden Records," a kind of time capsule intended to communicate the story of humankind to extraterrestrials. The messages are embedded on 12-inch, gold-plated "phonograph records" containing sounds and images selected to portray the diversity of life and culture on Earth, according to NASA.
The Voyager spacecrafts remain beloved by the public and scientists because of their optimistic and idealistic missions. Their enduring appeal are evident in popular culture, with fictionalized versions of the probes appearing in first Star Trek film in 1979 and in the 1984 film Starman, in which one was responsible for bringing a benign alien played by Jeff Bridges to Earth.
Voyager 2 also remains the only spacecraft to pass close to the two outermost planets in the solar system -- Uranus in 1986 and Neptune in 1989.
That's the usual arrangement. The mission is FINANCIALLY authorized for 2-3 years. The spacecraft is designed and built to operate for five to ten times that long. There are periodic program reviews to assess the spacecraft's condition and authorize extensions of the mission if warranted.
“Send more Chuck Berry.”
L
The scale of humans to space craft on the golden disc doesn’t seem right compared to the photo in post 27. Did they make us bigger to intimidate the aliens?
Also, white people. The depiction seemed fine in the ‘70’s (I seem to recall some fuss about them being naked), but now I hate that I have been trained to see the world through marxist eyes.
I knew somebody would post that!................
GMTA
It is amazing how sometimes (often?) NASA gets things right. Like the Voyagers and the Mars rovers. Keep going and going.
BTW - even though Voyager 1 is farther than Voyager 2, Voyager 2 was launched first! (I forget the story behind that). Voyager 2 took the detour to Neptune and Uranus, while Voyager 1 took a faster, more direct route. Voyager 1 is still traveling faster than Voyager 2.
What about the radiation belts ? Did the cause any of this problem ? Or did someone forget to pick the Metric, Standard or British Standard ?
Keyboard coffee spill................
I think so. Veejer (?) Or something similar. As i recall it was a woman-like “creature”.
I believe that the onboard processor in this sat is the legendary RCA 1802 of COSMAC ELF fame... I have an old
ELF, somewhere....
The 1802 was the very first CMOS processor...
A nice write-up is here..
https://www.cpushack.com/CPU/cpu2.html
HA!!
The Voyager probes are absolutely amazing examples of American Know How. Viking was pretty robust as well. They actually turned Viking off so they wouldn’t have to continue spending money to support the mission. It never actually failed. I think just the daily weather reports from that craft would have been worth having.
Technical Glitch = Human Error
Someone sent the wrong command that adjusted the antennas 2 degrees away from craft and stopped responding now working to gain control.
The Sun UK
Yea, I know. His current mission is many years past projections too.
Makes me think of bald extraterrestrial nymphos.
It’s only pointing at a place 435,000,000 miles from earth.
The problem is that the directional antenna on Voyager is no longer pointed at earth.
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