Engineers are confident that shutting down the LECP will give Voyager 1 about a year of breathing room. They are using the time to finalize a more ambitious energy-saving fix for both Voyagers they call “the Big Bang,” which is designed to further extend Voyager operations. The idea is to swap out a group of powered devices all at once — hence the nickname — turning some things off and replacing them with lower-power alternatives to keep the spacecraft warm enough to continue gathering science data.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 17 points 4 months ago (5 children)

The Voyager mission launched in 1977. If I recall correctly, it takes roughly 80 years for the planets to realign for that purpose. If I didn't misremember, we're about halfway through waiting.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 5 child comments
  • [–] 17 points 4 months ago (4 children)

    1977....

    Roughly 80 years

    If I didn't misremember, we're about halfway through waiting.

    A bit more than halfway, although sometimes I am shocked by how long ago 1977 was. Wasn't it just, like, 30 years ago or so?

    It can't possibly be 49 years ago, can it?

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
  • [–] 12 points 4 months ago (3 children)

    2026 is to 1977 like 1977 is to 1928. 🫣

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
  • [–] 4 points 4 months ago (2 children)