Decades after Voyager 1 and its twin Voyager 2 went their separate ways to explore the universe, the probes have lasted much longer than NASA expected. Both have sent back discoveries of active volcanoes and new moons between the Jupiter and Saturn systems. However, even in the case of spacecraft, various problems arise with each passing year.

This year, although there was no known interference on previous clean recordings, the probe experienced a glitch in the Attitude Acquisition and Control System (AACS), the system that keeps the antenna pointing toward Earth. Confused about its position in space, the probe began sending back inaccurate telemetry data through its onboard computer, which had died years earlier, destroying correct data.

NASA engineers were recently able to fix the problem by ordering the system to revert to its previous computer, but Voyager’s slip raises questions. The agency says the error isn’t a threat to the mission’s long-term health, but some scientists are already considering creating a successor to Voyager.

“We’ve been incredibly lucky on Voyager, so the fact that things are still working is a combination of a technological miracle and good luck,” said the chief scientist at Space Science. One Ralph McNutt says Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. “So it shouldn’t be surprising if it didn’t work out.”

McNutt, who was lucky enough to be present at the launch of Voyager 1 in 1977 at Cape Canaveral, Fla., was the principal investigator on the team at the Institute for Applied Physics and recently submitted a detailed proposal to NASA to help shape the mission concept. can be far greater than Voyager limits. Their probe, called an “interstellar probe,” could travel farther than Voyager’s missions, but it would only be able to travel farther than the heliosphere, or bubble-like region of space that protects the solar system from galactic radiation. I’m looking for answers.

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With the right technology, McNutt’s rover concept could be ready for launch between 2036 and 2042. This depends on when we can get the gravitational assistance from Jupiter. On Jupiter, the rover’s orbit uses the planet’s gravitational pull to propel it out into space. If the Interstellar probe comes to fruition, the mission could break its predecessor’s record as the farthest man-made object in the universe. McNutt also said that unlike his 45-year-old Voyager, which extended his first mission lifespan by 10 times, Interstellar his probe will be reliable enough for at least his 50 years.

However, a potential launch is still years away.NASA has funded the initial research, but the concept is still in its early stages and will be reviewed and selected by a decade-long review board. It won’t be an official mission until.

But when astronomers now have access to powerful telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope and long-awaited dark matter hunter Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, why do we need a probe? The short answer is that mission priorities and contrasting features often differ.? Probes such as the Voyager and Parker Solar Probes are solar physics missions that study the effects of the Sun in space, while JWST and Roman are astrophysics missions that study celestial bodies such as exoplanets and distant galaxies. . Despite their differences, probes and larger survey telescopes like his JWST are two sides of the same coin. Their findings are needed to create an accurate and more comprehensive picture of our space environment.

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Voyager isn’t going anywhere any time soon, but some experts appreciate that much of the scientific community is planning a dark day for Voyager.

“Maybe around 2030 is the last time the Voyager instrument will work,” says Merav Opher, an astronomy professor at Boston University and a longtime member of the Voyager team. It is encouraging to see so many of my colleagues working on next-generation projects that can ultimately take full advantage of Voyager’s knowledge.

“This long-term mission requires diversity,” she says. “Paying attention to team diversity is not only good for diversity, it is also good for discovery.”