- Voyager 1 is sending nonsense data back to Earth
- NASA scientists are trying to get to the bottom of the mystery
NASA’s Voyager 1 probe is currently unable to transmit any science or systems data to Earth. Although the 46-year-old satellite is receiving commands, everything indicates that there is a problem with its computers, according to representatives of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
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Voyager 1 is behaving strangely, NASA reports
Voyager 1’s Flight Data System (FDS), which collects onboard technical information and data from the probe’s science instruments, is not communicating with the Telecommunications Unit (TMU) as expected, NASA wrote on its website.
When functioning properly, the FDS compiles probe information into a data packet, which is then transmitted back to Earth by the TMU. Recently, however, this data packet has become “stuck” and only transmits a repeating pattern of ones and zeros. Voyager 1’s engineering team has traced the problem to the FDS system, but scientists expect it could take weeks to find a solution.
This is not the first problem scientists have faced. This May, data from the Telemetry and Control System (AACS for short) did not match the probe’s true orientation. The AACS hardware was perfectly fine, but for some unknown reason the system was sending telemetry data through the on-board computer, which was distorting it. The problem we wrote about here was finally fixed by a software update.
Man hasn’t sent anything else into space
Voyager 1 is currently the most distant human-made object. It was launched in 1977 and became the first probe to leave our solar system. Scientists admit that no one expected it to send the signal for so long.
Understanding what is happening “on board” the probe is a real challenge for scientists. Complicating the situation is the fact that data takes 22 hours and 33 minutes to travel one way, so simple communication between Earth and Voyager 1 takes two days. Identifying the problem and correcting it is always a long-term process.
Preview photo source: NASA, source: Space
2023-12-14 06:30:40
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