Voyager 1 Successfully Switches Thrusters After 47 Years in Space! 🚀

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Summary:

  1. Thruster Issue Resolved
    NASA’s Voyager 1 team has successfully addressed a longstanding issue with the spacecraft’s thrusters. The problem stemmed from a fuel tube clogged with silicon dioxide, which impaired the thrusters’ efficiency.

  2. Complex Switching Operation
    Due to Voyager 1’s age, the team faced challenges related to power supply and temperature. They needed to switch to a different set of thrusters while managing the spacecraft’s limited power supply and maintaining necessary temperatures.

  3. Innovative Solution
    To overcome these challenges, the team temporarily turned off a main heater to provide enough power for the thruster heaters. This careful balancing act allowed them to successfully activate the new thruster branch, ensuring Voyager 1 remains oriented toward Earth.

Read more at: NASA