Solar panels are next to useless in the outer solar system, so NASA's Voyager probes rely on nuclear batteries
technology first developed in the 1960s
to keep running billions of miles from Earth.
The article from Gizmodo discusses the remarkable longevity of NASA's Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft, which have been operational for nearly 50 years thanks to technology from the 1960s. Launched in 1977, these probes continue to function due to their robust design, including the use of a Flight Data System (FDS) that processes commands and collects data. Despite their age, the Voyagers have faced challenges like memory corruption and power issues, but NASA engineers have ingeniously managed to keep them running by adapting old technology to new problems. The article highlights the simplicity and reliability of the original hardware, like the use of 1960s-era computers with limited memory, which has proven to be both a limitation and an asset in their extended mission. The Voyagers are now exploring the outer reaches of our solar system, with Voyager 1 entering interstellar space, and their continued operation is a testament to the enduring quality of their design and the dedication of the teams managing them.
Business & Finance
