MoreNational Aeronautics and Space AdministrationPlanetsScienceSpace explorationSpacecraft Contact Regained with Voyager 2 Spacecraft Following Unintentional Disconnection by Chloe Baker August 1, 2023 written by Chloe Baker August 1, 2023 4 comments Bookmark 14 NASA is back in touch with the Voyager 2 spacecraft, billions of miles deep into interstellar space, following a period of unexpected silence. The unintentional loss of contact occurred nearly a fortnight ago when flight controllers mistakenly issued a command that misaligned the spacecraft’s antenna, leading to a break in the connection with Earth. The agency’s Deep Space Network, a collection of large radio antennas positioned worldwide, detected a “heartbeat signal.” This indicates that the spacecraft, now 46 years old, continues to function, according to an email from project manager Suzanne Dodd sent out on Tuesday. The positive news has “lifted our spirits,” expressed Dodd. The team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California will now attempt to realign Voyager 2’s antenna to face Earth again. However, there’s a level of skepticism regarding the success of this command. If it fails, the team will have to wait until October for an automatic reset by the spacecraft. The antenna is currently misaligned by only 2%. “The wait is lengthy, so we plan on issuing several commands before that time,” Dodd shared. Voyager 2, along with its twin Voyager 1, embarked on its mission to investigate the outer planets in 1977. Voyager 1, which continues to communicate and operate effectively, currently sits approximately 15 billion miles (24 billion kilometers) away from Earth, earning it the title of the farthest spacecraft. Meanwhile, Voyager 2 lags behind its sibling in interstellar space, over 12 billion miles (19 billion kilometers) from Earth. At such a distance, it takes more than 18 hours for a single-way signal to travel. The Health and Science Department at Big Big News is funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP retains sole responsibility for all content. Table of Contents Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Voyager 2 ReconnectionWhat caused the loss of communication with Voyager 2?Who detected the signal from Voyager 2 after the communication loss?What does the “heartbeat signal” mean?How will NASA reestablish communication with Voyager 2?What if the attempts to realign Voyager 2’s antenna fail?How far are the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecrafts from Earth?More about Voyager 2 Reconnection Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Voyager 2 Reconnection What caused the loss of communication with Voyager 2? An erroneous command sent by flight controllers accidentally tilted the spacecraft’s antenna away from Earth, which severed the connection. Who detected the signal from Voyager 2 after the communication loss? NASA’s Deep Space Network, a series of large radio antennas stationed around the globe, detected a “heartbeat signal” from Voyager 2. What does the “heartbeat signal” mean? The “heartbeat signal” is an indication that the Voyager 2 spacecraft, which is 46 years old, is still functioning and operational. How will NASA reestablish communication with Voyager 2? The team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California will attempt to realign Voyager 2’s antenna to face Earth again. What if the attempts to realign Voyager 2’s antenna fail? If the commands to realign the antenna fail, the team will have to wait until October for the spacecraft to automatically reset. The antenna is currently misaligned by only 2%. How far are the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecrafts from Earth? Voyager 1 is approximately 15 billion miles (24 billion kilometers) away from Earth, making it the most distant spacecraft. Voyager 2 is over 12 billion miles (19 billion kilometers) away from Earth. At such distances, it takes over 18 hours for a signal to travel one way. More about Voyager 2 Reconnection NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft NASA’s Deep Space Network Voyager Interstellar Mission Jet Propulsion Laboratory You Might Be Interested In Astronauts get first look at the spacecraft that will fly them around the moon Russia’s Luna-25 spacecraft crashes into the moon, ending its bid to reach the lunar south pole AP PHOTOS: The first supermoon in August rises around the world NASA Publishes UFO Study, Calls for Advanced Scientific Methods for Enhanced Understanding NASA Orbiter Discovers Probable Impact Site of Russia’s Unsuccessful Lunar Lander NASA astronaut Frank Rubio breaks US record for longest spaceflight Deep Space CommunicationNASANational Aeronautics and Space AdministrationPlanetsspace explorationSpacecraftVoyager 2 Share 0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail Chloe Baker Follow Author Chloe Baker is a travel journalist who covers the latest news and trends in the world of travel. 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September 12, 2023 4 comments CosmoCarl August 1, 2023 - 11:32 pm jus imagine the sights voyager 2 has seen! outer space sure is a mystery… Reply AstroAmy August 2, 2023 - 8:04 am it’s awesome that we’re still in touch with these old spacecrafts. Testament to human ingenuity right there! Reply SpaceLuvr99 August 2, 2023 - 8:38 am Wow, crazy stuff! Cant believe Voyager 2 is still kickin after 46 yrs in space, kudos to NASA! Reply VoyagerFan August 2, 2023 - 10:39 am waiting till October for a reset, man thats a long time, hope the antenna aligns back soon. Reply Leave a Comment Cancel Reply Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ
