NASA loses contact with spacecraft exploring solar system for over 40 years.
Lost Contact with Voyager 2: A Space Mishap
In a surprising turn of events, NASA has temporarily lost contact with the Voyager 2 spacecraft. The mishap occurred when a wrong command was accidentally sent, causing a slight tilt in the spacecraft’s antenna away from Earth.
Voyager 2, launched in 1977, has been on a remarkable journey exploring the outer regions of our solar system. Currently located around 12 billion miles from Earth, the spacecraft is unable to send data back or receive commands, as reported by CBS News. [source] However, NASA remains hopeful that a scheduled orientation reset on October 15 will rectify the antenna’s position and restore communication.
The antenna shift may have been a mere 2%, but it was enough to sever Voyager 2’s connection with NASA, according to the Associated Press. NASA’s dish antenna in Canberra, Australia, is diligently scanning for any stray signals from the spacecraft, although the chances of success are uncertain. It takes over 18 hours for Voyager 2’s signal to reach Earth. Meanwhile, NASA announced that the spacecraft will continue its trajectory through the solar system.
The Voyager Mission: A Historic Exploration
Both Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 were launched in 1977 with the primary mission of exploring Jupiter and Saturn, as stated by NASA. Voyager 1, which is still in contact with NASA, has traveled farther than any other spacecraft, reaching nearly 15 billion miles from Earth. Voyager 2, on the other hand, embarked on an extended mission to explore Uranus and Neptune, becoming the only spacecraft to have visited those outer planets.
The current mission of the Voyager spacecraft, known as the Voyager Interstellar Mission (VIM), aims to explore the outermost edge of the Sun’s domain and beyond. These intrepid explorers have already made history by venturing into interstellar space, a region beyond the sun’s heliosphere. Voyager 1 achieved this milestone in August 2012, followed by Voyager 2 in November 2018.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Now loading...