The Voyager 1 spacecraft, which has been exploring the outermost edge of the Sun’s domain for over four decades, has returned usable data for the first time in more than five months. This is a major development for the mission, which has been experiencing communication issues since November 2023.
The data, which was transmitted to mission control on Saturday, includes information about the health and status of Voyager 1’s onboard engineering systems. This is a positive sign that the spacecraft is still operational and capable of continuing its mission.
The next step for the Voyager 1 team is to begin returning science data again. The spacecraft last sent readable science and engineering data back to Earth on November 14, 2023. Since then, the spacecraft has been receiving commands, but it has not been able to send any data back.
The Voyager 1 team is currently working to identify and fix the issue that has been preventing the spacecraft from sending science data. The team is hopeful that they will be able to resolve the issue soon and resume normal operations.
The Voyager 1 spacecraft is a remarkable achievement in space exploration. It is the first spacecraft to leave the heliosphere and enter interstellar space. The spacecraft has been providing valuable data about the outer regions of our solar system for over four decades. The Voyager 1 mission is a testament to the human spirit of exploration and discovery.
