NASA powers down science instrument to conserve Voyager 2 power supply
NASA Space Technology Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust.What just happened? NASA has remotely disabled one of the science instruments on its Voyager 2 spacecraft in response to the probe's dwindling energy supply. The space agency had hoped to keep all five of the probe's instruments up and running through at least 2026 thanks to a revised power strategy that involved siphoning a small amount of backup juice from the craft's radioisotope thermoelectric generators, which turn heat from decaying plutonium-238 atoms into electricity. Unfortunately, they were not able to stretch the reserve power as far as anticipated.As a result, NASA made the decision to turn off the craft's plasma science instrument to conserve any remaining power. For now, the craft will continue operating with its four other...
