""While shutting down a science instrument is not anybody's preference, it is the best option available," said Kareem Badaruddin, Voyager mission manager at JPL, in a NASA announcement."
"Voyager 1 runs on a tiny nuclear battery called a radioisotope thermoelectric generator, providing a gradual drip of warmth that's converted into electricity."
"For nearly 49 years, the instrument has measured low-energy particles that originated from outside the solar system and even beyond our galaxy, illuminating the makeup of interstellar space."
NASA's Voyager 1, nearly 50 years old and over 15 billion miles from Earth, is shutting down its Low-energy Charge Particles experiment to conserve power. The spacecraft, powered by a nuclear battery, is losing power at four watts per year. A recent unexpected drop in power levels prompted engineers to act to prevent an automatic shutdown. The LECP has been operational since 1977, measuring low-energy particles from interstellar space. This decision aims to prolong the probe's functionality for at least another year.
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