01 August 2023 , 15:07
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NASA lost contact with its pioneering Voyager 2 probe billions of miles out in space after a potentially embarrassing case of human error, the space agency revealed.
The world's foremost space exploration group lost contact with Voyager 2, one of the oldest human-made objects in space.,billions of miles away from Earth after accidentally sending it the wrong command two weeks ago, the space agency revealed.
But now, NASA’s Deep Space Network, giant radio antennas across the globe, has finally regained contact by picking up a “heartbeat signal,” meaning the 46-year-old craft is alive and operating, project manager Suzanne Dodd said in an email Tuesday.
The news “buoyed our spirits,” Dodd said. Flight controllers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California will now try to turn Voyager 2’s antenna back toward Earth. If the command doesn’t work — and controllers doubt it will — they’ll have to wait until October for an automatic spacecraft reset. The antenna is only 2 per cent off-kilter.
Voyager 2 in 1977 in the Safe-1 Building at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla., prior to encapsulation (AP)“That is a long time to wait, so we’ll try sending up commands several times” before then, Dodd said. Voyager 2 rocketed into space in 1977, along with its identical twin Voyager 1, on a quest to explore the outer planets. Still communicating and working fine, Voyager 1 is now 15 billion miles (24 billion kilometres) from Earth, making it the most distant spacecraft.
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In the past week, the Canberra antenna — part of NASA’s Deep Space Network — bombarded Voyager 2’s vicinity with the correct command, in hopes it hits its mark, according to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which manages the Voyager missions. They were finally successful today and were able to hear a signal from the space machine.
Voyager 2 is more than 12.3 billion miles (19.9 billion km) from Earth, where it is hurtling at an estimated 34,390mph (55,346km/h) through interstellar space - the space between the stars. Voyager 2 and its twin Voyager 1 are the only spacecraft ever to operate outside the heliosphere, the protective bubble of particles and magnetic fields generated by the sun, respectively reaching interstellar space in 2018 and 2012.
Voyager 2 has accomplished a variety of missions, including playing this 'Sounds of Earth' recording out in space (NASA/AFP via Getty Images)Voyager 2 trails its twin in interstellar space at more than 12 billion miles (19 billion kilometers) from Earth. At that distance, it takes more than 18 hours for a signal to travel one way.
According to NASA, Voyager 2 is one of its most prolific spacecrafts, reaching numerous firsts in its history:
- Voyager 2 is the only spacecraft to study all four of the solar system's giant planets at close range.
- Voyager 2 discovered a 14th moon at Jupiter.
- Voyager 2 was the first human-made object to fly past Uranus.
- At Uranus, Voyager 2 discovered 10 new moons and two new rings.
- Voyager 2 was the first human-made object to fly by Neptune.
- At Neptune, Voyager 2 discovered five moons, four rings, and a "Great Dark Spot."
NASA's website provides a full detailed list of all of its accomplishments and missions, for those interested.