Voyager 1 Fires Up Thrusters After 37 Years

[Thebobo]

This really is amazing at some 13 billion miles from Earth and 40 years later the Voyagers are still collecting data. And now some 37 years after they used them they again fired up the backup thrusters and they worked perfectly.

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2017-310

"On Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017, Voyager engineers fired up the four TCM thrusters for the first time in 37 years and tested their ability to orient the spacecraft using 10-millisecond pulses. The team waited eagerly as the test results traveled through space, taking 19 hours and 35 minutes to reach an antenna in Goldstone, California, that is part of NASA's Deep Space Network.

Lo and behold, on Wednesday, Nov. 29, they learned the TCM thrusters worked perfectly -- and just as well as the attitude control thrusters.

"The Voyager team got more excited each time with each milestone in the thruster test. The mood was one of relief, joy and incredulity after witnessing these well-rested thrusters pick up the baton as if no time had passed at all," said Barber, a JPL propulsion engineer."

The Voyager team is able to use a set of four backup thrusters, dormant since 1980. They are located on the back side of the spacecraft in this orientation.

 

[J.Wilkins]

This really is amazing at some 13 billion miles from Earth and 40 years later the Voyagers are still collecting data. And now some 37 years after they used them they again fired up the backup thrusters and they worked perfectly.

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2017-310

"On Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017, Voyager engineers fired up the four TCM thrusters for the first time in 37 years and tested their ability to orient the spacecraft using 10-millisecond pulses. The team waited eagerly as the test results traveled through space, taking 19 hours and 35 minutes to reach an antenna in Goldstone, California, that is part of NASA's Deep Space Network.

Lo and behold, on Wednesday, Nov. 29, they learned the TCM thrusters worked perfectly -- and just as well as the attitude control thrusters.

"The Voyager team got more excited each time with each milestone in the thruster test. The mood was one of relief, joy and incredulity after witnessing these well-rested thrusters pick up the baton as if no time had passed at all," said Barber, a JPL propulsion engineer."

The Voyager team is able to use a set of four backup thrusters, dormant since 1980. They are located on the back side of the spacecraft in this orientation.

'member when top of the art engineering was part of the US strengths? I 'member.

And this does not surprise me in the least, the key was secondary and tertiary protections of a system, unfortunately that changed quite a bit.

 

[sdifox]

V'Ger!

 

[Puffnstuff]

I hope these spacecraft continue to function for many more years.

 

[Thebobo]

Ops ment it for OT - oh well it is news...

 

[sandorski]

One day Aliens will find it drifting in space. Curious, they will trace back its' origin to Earth. Only to find charred remains and various references to an orange headed buffoon.

 

[cytg111]

This really is amazing at some 13 billion miles from Earth and 40 years later the Voyagers are still collecting data. And now some 37 years after they used them they again fired up the backup thrusters and they worked perfectly.

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2017-310

"On Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017, Voyager engineers fired up the four TCM thrusters for the first time in 37 years and tested their ability to orient the spacecraft using 10-millisecond pulses. The team waited eagerly as the test results traveled through space, taking 19 hours and 35 minutes to reach an antenna in Goldstone, California, that is part of NASA's Deep Space Network.

Lo and behold, on Wednesday, Nov. 29, they learned the TCM thrusters worked perfectly -- and just as well as the attitude control thrusters.

"The Voyager team got more excited each time with each milestone in the thruster test. The mood was one of relief, joy and incredulity after witnessing these well-rested thrusters pick up the baton as if no time had passed at all," said Barber, a JPL propulsion engineer."

The Voyager team is able to use a set of four backup thrusters, dormant since 1980. They are located on the back side of the spacecraft in this orientation.

You see, this is the sort of thing that makes you proud of our race. We are fucking doing that! Plus we are contemplating moon bases, a presence on mars, missions to Europa, "space tourism" etc. Then there is the other end of the spectrum where we are imploding on our own greed and stupidity. Its hard to grasp its the same species.

 

[woolfe9998]

'member when top of the art engineering was part of the US strengths? I 'member.

And this does not surprise me in the least, the key was secondary and tertiary protections of a system, unfortunately that changed quite a bit.

NASA still does amazing work. Just a few years ago, they landed a 1 ton rover on Mars, not an easy feat. The Russians have failed all 8 times they've tried to land anything on Mars, let alone a payload that size.

 

[vi edit]

The voyager projects are truly some of the pinnacles of our engineering feats. They are one of the ultimate creations of passion and engineering.

 

[thilanliyan]

I hope the US doesn't take their foot off the gas in terms of these kinds of projects. With science skeptics in charge however, I won't hold my breath.