Recently, NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft began sending usable engineering data back to Earth after engineers successfully repaired a damaged memory chip. This breakthrough came after the spacecraft started returning nonsensical data in 2023, which was traced back to the FDS memory chip.
The failure of the memory chip made engineering and science data from the probe unusable, presenting a significant challenge for engineers. Since transferring the code to a single location wasn’t possible due to size constraints, engineers broke the code into sections, adjusted them to work together, and distributed them to different parts of the FDS.
Currently over 15 billion miles away from Earth, communication with Voyager 1 involves a significant delay of approximately 22.5 hours. The team successfully relocated the packaging code responsible for the spacecraft’s engineering data on April 18 and confirmed the fix on April 20.
Moving forward, the rest of the affected software will be relocated in the coming weeks, allowing for the return of science data from the spacecraft. Dr. Garry Hunt, an original Voyager scientist, expressed his excitement about the news but noted that it would take time to resume scientific operations due to communication delays.
This achievement serves as a positive development for NASA amidst budget troubles and highlights the remarkable longevity and foresight of past missions. With over 50 years since its launch in 1977, Voyager 1 continues to function despite numerous challenges faced throughout its journey into deep space.