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For months, there has been growing fear that we will have to say goodbye to the Voyager 1 spacecraft after it started sending back confusing data. Now, in a sudden turn, Voyager 1 sent back a Flight Data Subsystem (FDS) memory reading after a “push” command, giving some hope that the spacecraft is in better condition. than was feared and at the same time allows engineers to look for clues by reading the returned memory. Although this data was not sent in the format that the FDS is supposed to use when it is working properly, it is readable.
The problem was previously suspected to lie with the telemetry modulation unit (TMU), but has since been attributed to the FDS itself. This comes after NASA engineers have been updating the firmware of both spacecraft to extend their lifespan, but it is too early to consider this as a possible reason. Now, as a result of the “poke” instruction, which instructs the computer to try different sequences on its firmware in case part of it is corrupted, engineers can compare it with previous downloads to hopefully discover the cause behind FDS problems and a possible solution.
Inspired by this news of the decoded memory download, Nadia Drake – daughter of Frank Drake – wrote about how it affects not only the engineers who have worked on the Voyager mission over the past decades, but also his own thoughts on the two Voyager spacecraft. Not only are they a lasting reminder of his father and many of his colleagues, but the silence that would follow if we could no longer communicate with these spacecraft would be profound. Still, this new hope is better than previous news about this brave little spaceship.
Thanks to (Mark Stevens) for the advice.
