The probe Voyager 2 was launched back in 1977. It embarked on a long journey, traveling beyond the boundaries of our solar system in 2018.
NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft is currently drifting through vast interstellar space all by itself. This is because it had a communication problem, in simple words it can’t receive commands or send data back to Earth anymore.
The issue occurred when the spacecraft’s antenna was purposely turned two degrees away from Earth due to planned commands. This move cut off its connection to the ground antennas of NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN).
As a result, it can’t send any data back to the DSN, and Earth’s mission control can’t send any commands to the spacecraft.
But all hope is not lost, the probe was launched in 1977 with brilliant programming. It’s designed to reset its orientation several times yearly to point its antenna back at Earth. Another reset is scheduled for October 15 this year. When that happens, the probe should regain contact with its ground control. Until then, experts expect the spacecraft to follow its planned path.
Voyager 2 is an incredible spacecraft that was launched on August 20, 1977, from Cape Canaveral, Florida. It made history on December 10, 2018, by becoming the second spacecraft to leave our solar system and enter interstellar space.
Six years before that, its sibling craft, Voyager 1, was the first human-made spacecraft to venture beyond the influence of our sun.
Both Voyager 1 and 2 were designed by NASA to explore and study objects at the edge of our solar system. Voyager 2, in particular, achieved many scientific milestones. It’s the only spacecraft to have done close-up studies of all four giant planets in our solar system Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus.
In January 1986, Voyager 2 became the first human-made object to fly past Uranus. During this journey, it discovered 10 new moons and two new rings around Uranus. Then, in August 1989, Voyager 2 also became the first spacecraft to pass by Neptune, where it found five moons
Voyager 2’s explorations have been truly amazing, providing humanity with valuable insights into the far reaches of our solar system.
Very nice article to read
Thank sarang
[…] On July 21, a small mistake caused the spacecraft’s antenna to shift 2 degrees away from Earth. As a result, it couldn’t receive commands from mission control or send data back from its incredible distance of over 12.3 billion miles in interstellar space. […]