‘Dead’ thrusters revived to help Voyager 1 through a communications pause

CNN - May 15th, 2025

Engineers at NASA have successfully revived the primary roll thrusters of Voyager 1, the spacecraft farthest from Earth, just in time to prevent a critical communication blackout. This technical success ensures that Voyager 1, which has been operational since 1977, can maintain its orientation by keeping its antenna pointed at Earth, thus continuing its mission to send valuable data from 15.5 billion miles away in interstellar space. The revival involved a risky but necessary switch back to long-inactive thrusters, overcoming potential clogging issues from residue buildup.

This development is particularly significant as it coincides with a planned upgrade pause of the Canberra antenna, the only Earth-based facility capable of sending commands to Voyager. The antenna's upgrade aims to support future space missions but temporarily limits communication with Voyager until February 2026. The successful thruster revival not only extends Voyager 1's mission but also highlights the ingenuity and dedication of NASA's engineers in maintaining one of humanity's most distant exploratory achievements. This achievement underscores the importance of ongoing support for deep space exploration and the challenges of maintaining aging technology in such remote environments.

Nasa Space Exploration Voyager 1 Thruster Revival Communication Blackout Deep Space Network Kareem Badaruddin Suzanne Dodd Todd Barber

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RATING

8.6

Fair Story

Consider it well-founded

The story about the revival of Voyager 1's thrusters is a well-researched and accurately reported piece that highlights a significant technical achievement by NASA. It scores highly in accuracy, clarity, and readability, effectively communicating complex engineering processes in an accessible manner. The article is well-sourced, relying on authoritative statements from NASA and JPL, which enhances its credibility.

While the article maintains a balanced perspective and engages readers with its narrative of problem-solving, it could benefit from additional viewpoints from independent experts to provide a more comprehensive analysis. The story is timely and of public interest, given the ongoing fascination with space exploration, though it could further emphasize the broader implications of the mission's success.

Overall, the article successfully informs readers about a critical development in the Voyager 1 mission, though it could enhance its impact and engagement by exploring the future implications of this achievement and incorporating interactive elements. The lack of controversy reflects the technical focus of the piece, but there is potential for deeper exploration of the risks and decision-making processes involved in such innovative engineering feats.

Accuracy

The article provides a highly accurate account of the situation concerning Voyager 1's thruster revival. It mentions key facts such as Voyager 1 being the farthest spacecraft from Earth, the revival of its thrusters, and the critical timing related to the Canberra antenna upgrade. These claims are supported by NASA sources and other credible reports. The article accurately describes the technical challenges and solutions implemented by NASA engineers, such as the hypothesis about the circuit switch and the successful test conducted on March 20, 2025. However, while the article is largely precise, it could benefit from additional context about the broader implications of the thruster revival on future NASA missions.

Balance

The article maintains a balanced perspective by focusing on the technical and scientific aspects of the Voyager 1 mission. It does not exhibit any overt bias or favoritism towards NASA, instead providing a factual recount of the events. The article could, however, include perspectives from independent space experts or scientists to provide a more rounded view of the mission's significance and challenges. While it effectively highlights the engineering achievements, it might overlook potential criticisms or alternative viewpoints regarding the risks involved in the thruster revival.

Clarity

The article is written with clarity, using straightforward language to explain complex technical details about the Voyager 1 mission. The structure is logical, guiding the reader through the background, the problem, the solution, and the outcome in a coherent manner. The tone is neutral and informative, making the content accessible to a general audience. However, some readers might benefit from additional context or definitions of technical terms like 'heliosphere' or 'roll thrusters' to enhance comprehension further.

Source quality

The article relies on high-quality sources, primarily statements from NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which are authoritative and reliable in the context of space exploration. The quotes from NASA officials and the detailed descriptions of the engineering processes lend credibility to the report. However, the article could enhance its source quality by including insights or commentary from independent experts in the field of aerospace engineering or space exploration to provide additional depth and external validation.

Transparency

The article is transparent in its reporting, providing clear explanations of the technical challenges and solutions associated with the Voyager 1 thruster revival. It quotes NASA officials and describes the methodology used to address the thruster issue. However, the article could improve transparency by explicitly stating the sources of its information, such as specific NASA reports or press releases, and by discussing any potential conflicts of interest, such as NASA's vested interest in maintaining public support for its missions.