NASA engineers revive Voyager 1's dead thrusters after 21 years
- NASA successfully reactivated backup thrusters on Voyager 1 for the first time since 2004.
- The reactivation required sending commands over a radio signal that takes more than 23 hours to travel.
- This milestone ensures Voyager 1 can continue transmitting data during a crucial maintenance period for the Deep Space Network.
On May 15, 2025, NASA successfully reactivated the backup thrusters on the Voyager 1 spacecraft, which had been unused since 2004. Voyager 1, the farthest human-made object in space, was launched in 1977 and is currently approximately 16 billion miles away from Earth. The probe's internal components have significantly degraded over its nearly five-decade journey, requiring innovative solutions from NASA's engineers. The reactivation relied on sending a sequence of commands to the spacecraft, despite the radio signal taking over 23 hours to reach Voyager 1 from Earth. Engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory decided to attempt to revive the primary roll thrusters after realizing that the backup roll thrusters were also degrading. The internal heaters of Voyager 1's roll thrusters had failed 21 years prior, leading to the reliance on backup systems. However, time was crucial, as the facility capable of sending commands to the spacecraft would undergo maintenance beginning May 4, 2025. This added urgency to the thruster fix, as Voyager 1 needed to continue transmitting data back to Earth. The reactivation effort was considered a major milestone for the mission, with Todd Barber, the propulsion lead at JPL, describing the moment as a "glorious" event. The reestablished functionality of the primary roll thrusters allows Voyager 1 to maintain proper orientation for communication with Earth during the maintenance period of the Deep Space Network satellite antennas, particularly the Deep Space Station 43 in Australia, which will be out of action until February 2026. This recent success adds to the long history of the Voyager program, which has provided valuable scientific data about our solar system and beyond for decades. The restoration of the thrusters exemplifies NASA's commitment to maintaining and maximizing the operational lifespan of its pioneering space missions. As Voyager 1 continues its journey through interstellar space, it remains a testament to human ingenuity and exploration.