Voyager 1 is still crossing interstellar space with six computers holding about 68 kilobytes of memory between them - less storage than a single compressed photograph on a modern phone

Key Points:

• Voyager 1 carries six flight-computer units from the early 1970s with a combined memory of about 68 kilobytes, divided among three specialized systems rather than a single shared storage pool.
• The spacecraft’s three computer types—Computer Command System (CCS), Flight Data System (FDS), and Attitude and Articulation Control System (AACS)—each have distinct roles and paired units for redundancy, though some backup units have failed over time.
• Despite the small memory by modern standards, Voyager’s computers were designed for specific spacecraft functions, relying on Earth-based computers for navigation and scientific analysis, allowing efficient use of limited onboard resources.
• In 2024, a critical FDS memory chip failed, prompting engineers to creatively rearrange code fragments within surviving memory to restore telemetry functionality without adding new hardware.
• As of April 2026, only two science instruments remain active due to power constraints from decaying plutonium fuel, and Voyager’s aging systems continue operating with hardware predating mass-market personal computers, raising questions about how long they can maintain functionality.