NASA deactivates Voyager 1's Low-energy Charged Particles experiment to extend mission
Updated
Updated · CNN · Apr 26
NASA deactivates Voyager 1's Low-energy Charged Particles experiment to extend mission
15 articles · Updated · CNN · Apr 26
On April 17, NASA powered down Voyager 1’s LECP instrument after an unexpected power dip during a February 27 maneuver, with the probe now 25.40 billion kilometers from Earth.
This move leaves Voyager 1 with two operating science instruments, aiming to keep it functional for another year and reach its 50th anniversary, while engineers prepare a major power-saving upgrade.
Voyager 2’s LECP was shut down in March 2025; both spacecraft, launched in 1977, now operate beyond the heliosphere, with ongoing efforts to maximize their scientific returns as power dwindles.
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