Launched more than forty-five years ago, the Voyager 1 probe started returning invalid telemetry data from its attitude control system a few months ago. Since then, engineers have been working on the problem to try to determine the reasons for this behavior. Finally, everything was back to normal.
Despite nearly half a century of service, the Voyager 1 probe still sends back data taken from its interstellar environment, speeding at more than seventeen kilometers per second. Last May, the probe articulation and attitude control system (AACS), which keeps Voyager 1’s antenna pointed at Earth, however, began sending erroneous information about its health and activities to mission controllers, despite appearing to be functioning normally. The rest of the probe also appeared to be in good health, collecting and sending scientific data back to ground crews.
Over the past few months, the teams have therefore sought to locate the source of the problem. It is now done. According to a new report, the AACS had started sending telemetry data via an on-board computer that stopped working years ago. This computer has thus corrupted the information. In an attempt to fix the problem, Suzanne Dodd and her team at the Voyager project ordered AACS to resume sending data to the correct computer.
The team still doesn’t know why the AACS started transmitting the telemetry data to the wrong computer. He probably received an erroneous command generated by another on-board computer. If so, then there could be another anomaly elsewhere. Engineers will continue to investigate this possible underlying issue. However, they do not believe this is a long-term health threat to Voyager 1.
« We are happy to have the telemetry back“said Suzanne Dodd. ” We’ll do a full read of AACS’ memoir and look at everything he did. This will help us try to diagnose the problem that caused the telemetry issue in the first place. So we’re cautiously optimistic, but we still have more investigation to do.. »
Voyager 2 behaves normally. The reserves of their radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTG), fueled with plutonium, should allow the two probes to operate at least until 2025. After which, they will sail alone in interstellar space. And one day, perhaps they will be captured by another star system.