Voyager 2 is configured to adjust its orientation numerous times throughout the year to keep its antenna lined up with Earth. The next arranged modification is set for October 15, which is expected to re-establish communication. In spite of the disturbance, the mission group anticipates Voyager 2 to remain on its planned trajectory throughout this quiet period.
In contrast, Voyager 1, nearly 15 billion miles (24 billion kilometers) from Earth, is continuing its operations without any issues.
An artists concept illustrating among NASAs twin Voyager spacecraft. Humankinds farthest and longest-lived spacecraft commemorated 40 years in August and September 2017. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 are twin spacecraft that were introduced by NASA in 1977 with the primary objective of checking out the outer planetary system. In spite of being over 4 decades old, they remain operational and continue to return important clinical data.
Voyager 1 was launched on September 5, 1977, and its mission was to zip Jupiter and Saturn. Throughout its journey, Voyager 1 provided detailed images and data of these gas giants and their moons, consisting of the discovery of active volcanoes on Jupiters moon Io and detailed ring systems around Saturn. In 2012, Voyager 1 made history by ending up being the very first spacecraft to get in interstellar space, the area of area beyond our solar system.
Voyager 2, introduced on August 20, 1977, is the only spacecraft to have zipped all four outer worlds– Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. It exposed crucial information about these planets and their moons, including the discovery of Neptunes Great Dark Spot and Uranuss off-center magnetic field.
Both spacecraft bring a “Golden Record,” which is a phonograph record consisting of images and sounds chosen to portray the diversity of life and culture on Earth. These records are intended to interact the story of our world to any extraterrestrial intelligence that might discover them.
A division of Caltech in Pasadena, NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory constructed and runs the Voyager spacecraft. The Voyager missions belong of the NASA Heliophysics System Observatory, sponsored by the Heliophysics Division of the Science Mission Directorate in Washington.
Voyager 2 is programmed to adjust its orientation numerous times throughout the year to keep its antenna aligned with Earth. An artists idea illustrating one of NASAs twin Voyager spacecraft. Throughout its journey, Voyager 1 provided comprehensive images and data of these gas giants and their moons, including the discovery of active volcanoes on Jupiters moon Io and complex ring systems around Saturn. In 2012, Voyager 1 made history by becoming the very first spacecraft to enter interstellar area, the region of area beyond our solar system.
This artists idea reveals NASAs Voyager spacecraft against a field of stars in the darkness of area. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
NASAs Voyager 2 has lost interaction with Earth due to an unintentional shift in its antenna direction. The next programmed orientation modification on October 15 is expected to restore communication, while Voyager 1 continues to run as typical.
A series of set up commands directed at NASAs Voyager 2 spacecraft on July 21 resulted in an unintentional change in antenna direction. Subsequently, the antenna moved 2 degrees off course from Earth, causing the spacecraft to lose its ability to get commands or transmit data back to our world.
The spacecraft, currently over 12.3 billion miles (19.9 billion kilometers) away from Earth, has subsequently suffered an interruption in its communication with NASAs Deep Space Network (DSN) ground antennas. The spacecraft is not able to send information to the DSN and its not getting commands from ground controllers due to the fact that of the misalignment.