Voyager 1 has little time left in interstellar space. An ambitious ‘Big Bang’ fix may change that

Key Points:

• NASA has powered down Voyager 1’s Low-energy Charged Particles (LECP) experiment to conserve power as the spacecraft continues its journey through interstellar space, following a similar move on Voyager 2 in March 2025.
• Voyager 1, launched in 1977 and currently about 16 billion miles from Earth, now operates two science instruments, with engineers aiming to keep it functional until its 50th anniversary.
• The mission team plans a power management upgrade called the “Big Bang,” initially testing on Voyager 2, which could reduce power consumption and potentially reactivate instruments like LECP on Voyager 1.
• Voyager spacecraft rely on radioisotope thermoelectric generators that lose about 4 watts annually, requiring careful shutdown of instruments to prevent freezing and loss of communication with Earth.
• An unexpected power drop during a February maneuver prompted the shutdown of LECP to avoid triggering failsafe systems, but the instrument’s stepper motor remains active, allowing for possible future reactivation.