Aging gracefully in space is hard, just ask NASA’s Voyager 1.
After 47 years of service, the spacecraft’s thrusters fuel tubes were starting to clog.
The clogging, caused by silicon dioxide buildup, hindered the thrusters responsible for keeping Voyager 1 pointed towards Earth. This alignment is crucial for receiving commands and transmitting valuable data back to scientists.
Engineers at JPL decided to switch the spacecraft to a different set of thrusters. But this wasn’t a simple decision.
Originally equipped with three sets of thrusters, Voyager 1 has seen two branches exhibit clogging issues over the years. The team initially switched to the trajectory correction thrusters, but they too became clogged. Now, the mission has reverted to the attitude propulsion thrusters, ensuring communication continues.
Turning on heaters to warm the cold thrusters required careful power management, even risking the temporary shutdown of essential systems.
Their strategy paid off. By carefully reallocating power, they successfully warmed the thrusters, ensuring Voyager 1 could continue its mission in interstellar space.
