'It was tremendously exciting': NASA re-establishes communication with Voyager 1
For the first time in five months, NASA has received decipherable-data from Voyager 1.
Voyager project scientist Linda Spilker said one of the computer chips in the memory had failed.
“It was a hardware failure and so we had to reprogram around that bit of memory, moving that piece of code to a different place and then starting it up again. So last Saturday we got data back again from Voyager 1,” she said in an interview with CTV's Bruce Frisko on Wednesday.
“It was tremendously exciting. I was all smiles. People were high-fiving and cheering and also a relief to be once again communicating with Voyager 1. The next step is to continue that reprograming effort so we can get the science data back.”
Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 launched in 1977. After achieving their primary goals of flying by and exploring the four outer planets of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, the spacecraft’s are now providing data on interstellar space.
“Basically interstellar space is made up of explosions from stars and super nova explosions that send their material into space,” said Spilker. “So Voyager now for the first time is sampling that material. So it’s very exciting to be exploring in a place that no spacecraft has ever explored before.”
Spilker said each Voyager sends back eight to ten hours of data each day and will eventually run out of power.
“Eventually there won’t be enough power to run the systems on Voyager. We will start to turn the science instruments off one by one and slowly they will be so little power that they will get really cold and that will be the end of the Voyager mission as far as sending back data,” she said.
According to Spilker, each Voyager carries a golden record that has pictures, music and the sights and sounds form the Earth.
“So we sent a galactic message in a bottle out to whoever might find it and there’s even a diagram on the cover of where we are so they can come find us,” she said.
“I think that Voyager has taught us that there are a lot of amazing surprises out there and that there is still a lot to learn.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
LIVE AT 2:30 MT Evacuation order issued for some Fort McMurray neighbourhoods as wildfire nears
Four Fort McMurray neighbourhoods were ordered to evacuate as a wildfire gets closer to the city.
Maximum payout for LifeLabs class-action drops from $150 estimate to $7.86
Canadian LifeLabs customers who filed an application for a class-action settlement began receiving their payments this week, though at a much lower amount than initially expected.
Alice Munro, Nobel literature winner revered as short story master, dead at 92
Nobel laureate Alice Munro, the Canadian literary giant who became one of the world's most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history's most honoured short story writers, has died at age 92.
BREAKING Toronto's top doctor Eileen de Villa announces resignation
Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health is stepping down.
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
BREAKING Sask. man faces 60 charges in child exploitation investigation, with crimes dating back to 2005
Saskatchewan RCMP have revealed that a historic sexual assault investigation has led to the discovery of alleged crimes against children dating back to 2005.
American sought after 'So I raped you' Facebook message detained in France on 2021 warrant
An American accused of sexually assaulting a Pennsylvania college student in 2013 and later sending her a Facebook message that said, 'So I raped you,' has been detained in France after a three-year search.
Are these Canada's best restaurants? Annual top 100 list revealed
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
1 killed, 3 injured in head-on crash on Hwy. 417 in Ottawa
Ontario Provincial Police are responding to a fatal collision involving two vehicles on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end on Tuesday morning.