NASA shuts off another Voyager science instrument to save power. The spacecraft is now 15 billion miles from Earth

NASA shuts off another Voyager science instrument to save power. The spacecraft is now 15 billion miles from Earth

NASA shuts off Voyager 1's Low-energy Charged Particles experiment, which has been operating since Voyager 1 launched in 1977

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Artist's impression of a Voyager probe, the farthest human-ade object. Credit: NASA
Credit: NASA

Iain Todd

NASA has shut off a key science instrument onboard the Voyager 1 spacecraft, to help it continue its journey into deep space, over 25 billion km (15 billion miles) from Earth.

Engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory made the decision to send commands to Voyager 1 to shut down an instrument called the Low-energy Charged Particles experiment.

Voyager 1 is in deep space, beyond our Solar System, and is still gathering data and beaming it back to Earth.

But it's running out of power, so shutting down the LECP is a means to keep Voyager 1 going for as long as possible.

Image of the Low Energy Charged Particle (LECP) instrument, which is part of the Voyagers' instrument suites. Credit: Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory
Image of the Low Energy Charged Particle (LECP) instrument, which is part of the Voyagers' instrument suites. Credit: Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory

What the Low-energy Charged Particles experiment does

Space might seem empty, but scientists are keen to know what exists in the interstellar medium – the regions between stars and galaxies.

The Low-energy Charged Particles experiment has been operating since Voyager 1 launched in 1977.

It measures low-energy charged particles and cosmic rays originating from both our Solar System and within the Milky Way galaxy.

Read more

Linda Morabito pictured after her discovery of Io volcanism, in front of a model of the Voyager spacecraft at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Morabito is holding a print of the image that enabled her to make the discovery. Credit: NASA
Linda Morabito pictured after her discovery of Io volcanism, in front of a model of the Voyager spacecraft at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Morabito is holding a print of the image that enabled her to make the discovery. Credit: NASA

NASA says the instrument has given scientists vital information about the structure of the so-called interstellar medium, including detecting pressure fronts and variations in particle density in the space beyond our heliosphere.

The heliosphere is the bubble that surrounds our Solar System, generated by charged particles emanating from the Sun.

Voyager 1 and its twin, Voyager 2, are the only spacecraft far enough in space to give scientists this information.

Artist's impression showing the Voyagers travelling beyond the heliosphere. Credit: NASA
Artist's impression showing the Voyagers travelling beyond the heliosphere. Credit: NASA

Voyager 1, running out of juice?

How do you power a spacecraft across the Solar System and beyond?

Voyager 1 uses a radioisotope thermoelectric generator, which converts heat from decaying plutonium into electricity.

NASA says both Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 lose 4 watts of power every year, and now both spacecrafts' power is very low,.

That means the team need to periodically decide to turn off instruments to keep the Voyagers running as long as possible.

An artist's illustration of the Voyager spacecraft. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
An artist's illustration of the Voyager spacecraft. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

On 27 February 2026, NASA says Voyager 1's power levels dropped, leading the team to decide that shutting down a science instrument was a necessary procedue.

"While shutting down a science instrument is not anybody’s preference, it is the best option available," says Kareem Badaruddin, Voyager mission manager at JPL.

"Voyager 1 still has two remaining operating science instruments — one that listens to plasma waves and one that measures magnetic fields.

"They are still working great, sending back data from a region of space no other human-made craft has ever explored. The team remains focused on keeping both Voyagers going for as long as possible."

Carl Sagan reveals the Solar System Family Portrait, captured by Voyager 1, during a NASA press conference on 6 June 1990. Credit: NASA/JPL
Carl Sagan reveals the Solar System Family Portrait, captured by Voyager 1, during a NASA press conference on 6 June 1990. Credit: NASA/JPL

Shutting down the instrument

There's an established order in which the Voyagers' instruments will be shut down, as previously decided by the team.

Each Voyager has 10 sets of instruments, and seven have been shut off so far. Voyager 2's LECP was shut off in March 2025.

NASA says it takes about 23 hours for the command to shut down the instrument to reach the spacecraft.

A portrait of the Solar System featuring Earth as a 'pale blue dot', captured by the Voyager 1 mission from a distance of over 4 billion miles from Earth. Credit: NASA
A portrait of the Solar System featuring Earth as a 'pale blue dot', captured by the Voyager 1 mission from a distance of over 4 billion miles from Earth. Credit: NASA

A small motor on the LECP will keep running, however, in case the team finds extra power and is able to turn the instrument back one.

In the future, further shut-downs will be needed, including implementing a tactic called the 'Big Bang', which will see a whole set of powered devices all swapped out at once.

This will replace some instruments with low-power alternatives to keep the Voyagers gathering data.

25 billion km (15 billion miles) from Earth, Voyager 1 is continuing its trek across deep space, giving us vital science from beyond the Solar System.

NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft launched from the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex in Florida on 5 September 1977. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft launched from the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex in Florida on 5 September 1977. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The Grand Tour of the Solar System

Voyager 2 launched on 20 August 1977, with Voyager 1 following on 5 September 1977.

This was humanity's first ever 'grand tour' of the Solar System, sending spacecraft to fly by and explore the outer planets and moons of our cosmic neighbourhood.

Voyager 1 visited Jupiter and Saturn before beginning its journey out of the Solar System, while Voyager 2 also made fly-bys of Uranus and Neptune.

Photograph of Neptune reconstructed from two images taken by Voyager 2. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Photograph of Neptune reconstructed from two images taken by Voyager 2. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The two spacecraft gave scientists a wealth of data and images with which to learn much more about the Solar System.

The Voyager mission's images were the first times we saw some of the planets and moons up close.

Voyager 1 left the Solar System, officially entering interstellar space, on 25 August 2012, while Voyager 2 achieved that milestone on 5 November 2018.

Voyager 1 is the most distant object ever built by humanity.

Below is a slideshow of the best images from the Voyager missions, showing our planets and their moons in amazing detail.

mages of Uranus (left) and Neptune (right), as seen by the Voyager 2 spacecraft. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech / NASA
Images of Uranus (left) and Neptune (right), as seen by the Voyager 2 spacecraft.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech / NASA
Voyager 2's view of Triton. Credit: NASA/JPL/USGS
Voyager 2's view of Triton. Credit: NASA/JPL/USGS
The planet Jupiter, taken by Voyager 1 at a distance of 54 million km from its closest approach. The Great Red Spot dominates the picture and swirling, storm-like features are visible above and to the left of the Spot, showing the turbulent atmosphere. (Credit: NASA/JPL)
The planet Jupiter, taken by Voyager 1 at a distance of 54 million km from its closest approach. The Great Red Spot dominates the picture and swirling, storm-like features are visible above and to the left of the Spot, showing the turbulent atmosphere. (Credit: NASA/JPL)
Jupiter's Great Red Spot captured by Voyager 1 in February 1979, at a distance of 9.2 million km. The wavy cloud pattern to the right of the Red Spot is variable wave motion in the atmosphere; evidence of large-scale storms. (Credit: NASA/JPL)
Jupiter's Great Red Spot captured by Voyager 1 in February 1979, at a distance of 9.2 million km. The wavy cloud pattern to the right of the Red Spot is variable wave motion in the atmosphere; evidence of large-scale storms. (Credit: NASA/JPL)
An image of Saturn from Voyager 2. The picture has been colour-enhanced to show in bright details the planet’s surface and the features of the rings. Clearly visible is the gap between the A and B rings, called the Cassini Division. (Credit: NASA/JPL)
An image of Saturn from Voyager 2. The picture has been colour-enhanced to show in bright details the planet’s surface and the features of the rings. Clearly visible is the gap between the A and B rings, called the Cassini Division. (Credit: NASA/JPL)
Voyager 1's discovered volcanic activity on Jupiter’s moon Io. In this shot we can see the plumes of volcanoes Amirani (top) and Maui (bottom), visible against the blackness of space. (Credit: NASA/JPL)
An image of Jupiter and its Great Red Spot, captured during the Voyager mission. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Triton in the distance, as seen by the Voyager 2 spacecraft. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Lunar & Planetary Institute
Neptune's Great Dark Spot as seen by the Voyager 2 spacecraft. Credit: NASA/JPL
Neptune's Great Dark Spot as seen by the Voyager 2 spacecraft. Credit: NASA/JPL
Neptune's rings, as seen by Voyager 2
Neptune's rings, as seen by Voyager 2. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Uranus's moon Ariel as seen by the Voyager 2 spacecraft. Credit: NASA/JPL
Uranus's moon Ariel as seen by the Voyager 2 spacecraft. Credit: NASA/JPL
An image of Uranus's moon Umbriel captured by Voyager 2 on 24 January 1986 from a distance of 557,000 kilometers. Credit: NASA/JPL
An image of Uranus's moon Umbriel captured by Voyager 2 on 24 January 1986 from a distance of 557,000 kilometers. Credit: NASA/JPL
Image Neptune produced from the last whole planet images taken through the green and orange filters on NASA's Voyager 2 narrow angle camera. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Image of Neptune produced from the last whole planet images taken through the green and orange filters on NASA's Voyager 2 narrow angle camera. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Photograph of Neptune reconstructed from two images taken by Voyager 2. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Photograph of Neptune reconstructed from two images taken by Voyager 2. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
The broad light band crossing diagonally along the centre of this image is the first evidence of Jupiter's rings, as seen by the Voyager 1 spacecraft on 4 march 1979. The edge of the ring was 1,212,000km from the spacecraft and 57,000km from the visible cloud deck of Jupiter. Wobbly lines are background stars, their appearance affected by the spacecraft's motion. Credit: NASA/JPL
The broad light band crossing diagonally along the centre of this image is the first evidence of Jupiter's rings, as seen by the Voyager 1 spacecraft on 4 March 1979. The edge of the ring was 1,212,000km from the spacecraft and 57,000km from the visible cloud deck of Jupiter. Wobbly lines are background stars, their appearance affected by the spacecraft's motion. Credit: NASA/JPL
Jupiter's rings seen as two light orange lines, captured by Voyager 2 from a distance of 1,450,000km (900,000 miles). Credit: NASA/JPL
Jupiter's rings seen as two light orange lines, captured by Voyager 2 from a distance of 1,450,000km (900,000 miles). Credit: NASA/JPL
A view of Jupiter's volcanic moon Io, captured by Voyager 1. Credit: NASA/JPL
A view of Jupiter's volcanic moon Io, captured by Voyager 1. Credit: NASA/JPL
Moon Miranda's rugged surface, as seen by the Voyager 2 spacecraft on 24 January 1986. Credit: NASA/JPL
Moon Miranda's rugged surface, as seen by the Voyager 2 spacecraft on 24 January 1986. Credit: NASA/JPL
A view of Uranus's moon Miranda, captured by the Voyager 2 spacecraft on 24 January 1986. Credit: NASA/JPL
A view of Uranus's moon Miranda, captured by the Voyager 2 spacecraft on 24 January 1986. Credit: NASA/JPL
Neptune's second largest moon Proteus, as seen by the Voyager 2 spacecraft. Credit: NASA
Neptune's second largest moon Proteus, as seen by the Voyager 2 spacecraft. Credit: NASA
A view of Ganymede captured by Voyager 1 from a distance of 3.4 million km (2.1 million miles), 2 March 1979. Credit: NASA/JPL
A view of Ganymede captured by Voyager 1 from a distance of 3.4 million km (2.1 million miles), 2 March 1979. Credit: NASA/JPL
A view of Ganymede captured by Voyager 1 on 5 March 5 1979 from a range of 253,000 km (151,800 miles), shows the moon's southwestern limb. Credit: NASA
A view of Ganymede captured by Voyager 1 on 5 March 5 1979 from a range of 253,000 km (151,800 miles), shows the moon's southwestern limb. Credit: NASA
A view of Ganymede captured by Voyager 2, 7 July 1979, from a range of 1.2 million km (0.74 million miles). Credit: NASA
A view of Ganymede captured by Voyager 2, 7 July 1979, from a range of 1.2 million km (0.74 million miles). Credit: NASA
An image of Saturn's moon Titan captured by a Voyager probe. Credit: NASA
An image of Saturn's moon Titan captured by a Voyager probe. Credit: NASA

What are your memories of the Voyager mission? Let us know by emailing contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com

Author avatar

Iain Todd

Science journalist

Iain Todd is BBC Sky at Night Magazine's Content Editor who has been writing about astronomy and space science for over a decade. He has covered major stargazing events, space launches and the latest news in cosmology, astrophysics, planetary and space science.
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