Voyager 1 Shuts 2 Instruments as Power Falls 4 Watts a Year
Updated
Updated · spacedaily.com · Jun 22
Voyager 1 Shuts 2 Instruments as Power Falls 4 Watts a Year
3 articles · Updated · spacedaily.com · Jun 22
Summary
NASA engineers have already turned off two Voyager 1 science instruments—the cosmic ray subsystem in early 2025 and the low-energy charged particle instrument in April 2026—to preserve the probe’s dwindling power.
The cuts are driven by its plutonium power source, which has dropped from about 470 watts at launch to well under half that level and continues fading by roughly 4 watts each year.
Two instruments still operate—measuring magnetic fields and plasma waves—while Jet Propulsion Laboratory teams test broader power-saving changes through mid-2026 to extend the mission by several more years.
About 25 billion kilometers from Earth, Voyager 1 became the first spacecraft in interstellar space in 2012 and is expected to reach a one-light-day distance in November 2026.
Once power runs too low, the craft will fall silent but keep coasting at 17 kilometers a second, needing roughly 17,000 years to travel a full light-year.
What secrets might Voyager 1's last instruments reveal before the 49-year-old spacecraft finally goes dark?
Can NASA's 'Big Bang' energy plan extend Voyager 1's final whispers from deep space?
What becomes of our silent ambassador to the stars once its final signal fades forever?
Extending Voyager’s Life: Power Challenges, the “Big Bang” Fix, and Lessons for Future Interstellar Probes
Overview
In April 2026, Voyager 1 faced a major power challenge when engineers shut down its Low-energy Charged Particles (LECP) experiment. This careful process, involving commands traveling for 23 hours and a shutdown sequence lasting over three hours, was designed to extend the spacecraft’s life and give the team about a year to develop more ambitious energy-saving solutions for both Voyager 1 and Voyager 2. Although the main instrument was powered down, a small motor in the LECP remains active, allowing for possible reactivation in the future if new power-saving strategies succeed.