After 37 years, Voyager 1 has fired up its trajectory thrusters

[n2doc]

At present, the Voyager 1 spacecraft is 21 billion kilometers from Earth, or about 141 times the distance between the Earth and Sun. It has, in fact, moved beyond our Solar System into interstellar space. However, we can still communicate with Voyager across that distance.

This week, the scientists and engineers on the Voyager team did something very special. They commanded the spacecraft to fire a set of four trajectory thrusters for the first time in 37 years to determine their ability to orient the spacecraft using 10-millisecond pulses.

After sending the commands on Tuesday, it took 19 hours and 35 minutes for the signal to reach Voyager. Then, the Earth-bound spacecraft team had to wait another 19 hours and 35 minutes to see if the spacecraft responded. It did. After nearly four decades of dormancy, the Aerojet Rocketdyne manufactured thrusters fired perfectly.

“The Voyager team got more excited each time with each milestone in the thruster test. The mood was one of relief, joy, and incredulity after witnessing these well-rested thrusters pick up the baton as if no time had passed at all,” said Todd Barber, a propulsion engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California.



more

https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/12/after-37-years-voyager-has-fired-up-its-trajectory-thrusters/

They built those things well, didn’t they?

[c-rational]

1. Thanks for the post. Always loved this stuff.

[Ferrets are Cool]

2. They dont build them like they used to

[byronius]

3. Amazing.

[disalitervisum]

4. The signal strength from Voyager is less than one trillionth of a watt

The day(s) we launched the Voyagers should be celebrated as a holiday, as should the birthdays of Galileo, Isaac Newton, and the moon landing, among others. Maybe someday holidays like these that honor science, human progress, and reality will replace the worthless religious festivals of ignorance and superstition we have today that keep billions enslaved to the cults of death.

[Bradshaw3]

5. Very well put and great ideas

[Bernardo de La Paz]

10. +1. . . . . nt

[Thekaspervote]

11. With that wonderful thought ... please give the holiday a name

Who knows maybe it will stick!

[Rabrrrrrr]

16. We shall name it V'ger day.

[sammythecat]

30. Yes! There it is. Perfect! nt

[Auggie]

15. Love it!

[PunkinPi]

23. +1

[lastlib]

29. (we already celebrate Newton's birthday.....)

but, alas, it's not because of Newton--he was born on Christmas Day, Dec. 25.

And, FWIW, some (of us) celebrate the birth of Charles Darwin. Darwin Day, Feb. 12th, is gaining in popularity. Incidentally, he was born the same day as Abraham Lincoln! What a wonderful day for humanity that was!

[Bradshaw3]

6. Thanks for the post

In the 60 Minutes recent piece, one scientist said Voyager will still be travelling the universe when our sun burns out.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

21. I wonder if that will be just from momentum alone ...

... until it runs into a random cosmic body, ventures into a black hole, or could possibly slingshot around a gravity well produced by an ultra-dense neutron star increasing its velocity to be whisked onward further and further towards the great beyond, maybe even being able to exit our galaxy, or if we're lucky (or unlucky depending on your perspective) to be the first object ever touched by a life-form, comprised of silicon DNA molecules, who evolved on some distant planet's moon billions of years ago.

Damn, what thought.

[jalan48]

7. I prefer my tax dollars going for this type of stuff rather than weaponry for the Defense Department

[Victor_c3]

12. Absolutely agree

Nationalistic pride based on our scientific prowess is so much better than that based on war. One of the things I’m most proud of in our history is our landing on the moon. It might not be the most practical use of our resources, but it sure beats spending resources on killing each other.

[Stryst]

8. My freakin' microwave won't last 37 years!

NASA! When they said "Better, faster, cheaper" they ran with it.

[shenmue]

9. Life on Mars

[TalenaGor]

13. I clicked this cause I thought it was a Star trek thread lol

[Fantastic Anarchist]

22. Aren't they 70,000 light years away in the Delta Quadrant ...

... fending off the Borg or being trapped in fluidic space?

[TalenaGor]

24. good point lol

[iluvtennis]

14. wow, that's so cool.

[orangecrush]

17. the '57 Chevy

of spacecraft!

[FirstLight]

18. so fucking cool...

*sigh* I wish we were capable of creating something as awesome as the Space Program...like I dunno, maybe for the health of the PLANET EARTH!?

[docgee]

19. K&R that!

[panader0]

20. Mind boggling....

[Martin Eden]

25. Sure is nice to have uplifting news.

For a moment or two I forgot my anger at what's happening to our country.

[RKP5637]

26. Thanks for posting this!!! n/t

[underpants]

27. That's amazing. That technology launched in 1977.

[Plucketeer]

28. Built well

built HERE in the USA - by well-educated Americans - a dwindling breed.