Voyager 1, which had been sending indecipherable data from space, has finally resumed sending scientific data
Voyager 1 Resumes Sending Science Data from Two Instruments - Voyager
https://blogs.nasa.gov/voyager/2024/05/22/voyager-1-resumes-sending-science-data-from-two-instruments/
At the time of writing, Voyager 1, traveling about 24 billion km from Earth, suddenly began transmitting indecipherable data in November 2023.
Subsequent investigations revealed a malfunction in Voyager 1's Flight Data System (FDS), and it is believed that the malfunction was caused by the chips that stored the FDS's memory being damaged by energetic particles from space.
The cause of the Voyager 1 malfunction that continued to send indecipherable data for five months has been revealed - GIGAZINE
After identifying the cause of the malfunction, NASA sent a signal to Voyager 1 to split the code used by the malfunctioning FDA into sections and store them on a separate FDS, allowing Voyager 1 to successfully transfer the code to a separate FDS and transmit a decipherable signal.
Voyager 1, which had been sending indecipherable data, has sent a decipherable signal to Earth for the first time in five months, making it possible to check the current operating status - GIGAZINE
Then, on May 22, 2024 local time, NASA announced that for the first time since Voyager 1 began transmitting indecipherable data in November 2023, two of the four onboard signal transmitters were able to transmit scientific data normally. NASA explained that they are working to restore the remaining two instruments so that they can transmit scientific data normally, and noted that 'this achievement is a major step toward returning Voyager 1 to normal operations.'
According to NASA, a command was sent to Voyager 1 on May 17, 2024, ordering it to resume transmitting scientific data to Earth. Because Voyager 1 is located 24 billion km away from Earth, it will take 22.5 hours for the signal to reach Voyager 1. In addition, Voyager 1 will transmit the scientific data to Earth after receiving the command, and it will take 22.5 hours for the data to reach Earth. Therefore, NASA had to wait nearly two days to confirm whether Voyager 1's scientific data transmission was successful.
According to NASA, of the four signal transmission devices on Voyager 1, the plasma wave subsystem and magnetometer instrument appear to have succeeded in transmitting normal scientific data at the time of writing. The spacecraft subsystem and low-energy charged particle instrument are unable to transmit the correct signals, but NASA is continuing to work to restore these systems.
by NASA/JPL-Caltech
Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 will celebrate their 47th anniversary of operation in late 2024. Voyager 1 is NASA's longest-operating spacecraft and the first and only spacecraft to explore beyond the solar system.
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