NASA repairs Voyager 1 spacecraft

April 24, 2024 - After five months of indecipherable transmissions, NASA engineers have fixed a communication problem aboard the iconic Voyager 1 probe – the most distant spacecraft in the cosmos.

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NASA said in a news release Monday that the spacecraft is returning usable data about the health and status of its onboard engineering systems for the first time since November 14, 2023.

A computer problem aboard the 46-year-old probe corrupted the science and engineering data the craft sent to Earth, making it unreadable.

The Voyager 1 and its companion, Voyager 2, hold a unique record as the only spacecraft to have ventured into interstellar space -- the vast expanse between the stars. This unparalleled achievement underscores the significance of their ongoing operations.

NASA reports that Voyager 2 continues to operate normally. Both launched in 1977, the twin spacecraft are standouts on two fronts: They’ve operated the longest and travelled the farthest of any spacecraft -- Voyager 1 is 24 billion kilometres from Earth.

Before embarking on their interstellar exploration, both probes made significant flybys of Saturn and Jupiter, and Voyager 2 even had the opportunity to fly by Uranus and Neptune. Originally designed to last five years, these spacecraft have defied expectations and become the longest-operating in history, a testament to their robust engineering and the dedication of the NASA team.