Engineers at NASA say they have successfully revived thrusters aboard Voyager 1, the farthest spacecraft from our planet, in the nick of time before a planned communications blackout.
A side effect of upgrades to an Earth-based antenna that sends commands to Voyager 1 and its twin, Voyager 2, the communications pause could have occurred when the probe faced a critical issue — thruster failure — leaving the space agency without a way to save the historic mission. The new fix to the vehicle’s original roll thrusters, out of action since 2004, could help keep the veteran spacecraft operating until it’s able to contact home again next year.
Voyager 1, launched in September 1977, uses more than one set of thrusters to function properly. Primary thrusters carefully orient the spacecraft so it can keep its antenna pointed at Earth. This ensures that the probe can send back data it collects from its unique perspective 15.5 billion miles (25 billion kilometers) away in interstellar space, as well as receive commands sent by the Voyager team.
That's cool, but forget the thrusters, how is the battery pack on that thing still keeping it powered!?
Radioisotope thermoelectric generators.
Fucking love this book. Funniest thing I've ever read, consistently, from cover to cover
If you haven't read it already, try the new book "Project Hail Mary" also by Andy Weir. I found it even more enthralling.
Is it better than Artemis? I found it... Ok. Meh compared to The Martian.
yup. I never finished artemis (but thinking about it, I really should some day). Hail Mary is really really good. Highly recommended.
(also, they are finishing up the movie, which is planned to come out next march)
Yes, Artemis is kinda meh. But Hail Mary is different. I found it better but at least you will find it different.
Thanks, I'll give it a read 😊
I own the book! It's in the backlog ^-^
I'm currently working my way through the Dune series. I'm nearing the end of book 3 and then I'm going to take a break from Dune to read a few other books. Hail Mary may have to be next up
I think remembering in the book he takes a hot bath with it xD
Just finished The Red Rising series and am still feeling spacey, this sounds great. What book is this?
I think The Martian.
Ah that makes sense. Thank you! Seen the movie, have not read the book. Gonna give that a go!
That's the quote from the movie itself, unless the book has the same scene word-for-word
just checked, and the book goes into more detail
I enjoyed the book.
I read the book before the movie was announced, there is at least a good part missing from the movie.
That book left me longing for more of that same style. Then I picked up the Expanse.
Half life of the plutonium isotope they used is about 88 years.
The spacecraft uses radioisotope thermoelectric generators. It converts the heat generated by radioactive decay of plutonium into electricity. Engineers have been able to keep it working all this time by selectively powering down unused systems.
The answer to that is actually really interesting.