Summary:
- Voyager 1, the iconic NASA spacecraft that has been exploring interstellar space since 2012, is facing issues with its attitude control thrusters, which are used to orient the spacecraft. The thrusters have been degrading over time, causing the spacecraft to drift.
- NASA engineers have devised a solution by using a set of backup thrusters that have not been used in over 37 years. These thrusters, originally designed to orient the spacecraft during launch and early mission phases, have been successfully tested and will now be used to keep Voyager 1 properly oriented.
- The successful use of these backup thrusters has extended the mission of Voyager 1, which continues to send valuable data from the edge of our solar system, providing insights into the interstellar medium and the heliosphere, the bubble of charged particles surrounding the Sun.