Voyager spacecraft shut down instruments to conserve power

NASA has made a critical decision regarding its Voyager spacecraft. To conserve power, they have shut down one of the ten instruments on each spacecraft. This action is necessary to keep them operational as they continue to explore space. For Voyager 1, the shutdown occurred on February 25. Voyager 2 will follow on March 24. These spacecraft are currently the farthest human-made objects from Earth. Suzanne Dodd, the Voyager project manager, emphasized the urgency of this decision. She stated that electrical power is decreasing, and if they do not turn off an instrument, the spacecraft may only have a few months of functionality left. The Voyager missions have been running for nearly 50 years, and collecting data from them is invaluable. Patrick Koehn, a Voyager program scientist, noted that the information gathered contributes significantly to the understanding of heliophysics. He praised the engineering that has supported the missions over the decades. Linda Spilker, also a Voyager project scientist, highlighted the importance of the ongoing exploration. She assured that the team is committed to maximizing the lifespan of both Voyager 1 and 2. They aim to keep these legendary spacecraft on their trailblazing journey for as long as possible.