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NASA Turns Off Science Instrument to Save Voyager 2 Power. Mission engineers at NASA have turned off plasma science instrument aboard Voyager 2 spacecraft due to probe’s gradually shrinking electrical power supply.

Traveling more than 12.8 billion miles (20.5 billion kilometers) from Earth, the spacecraft continues to use four science instruments to study the region outside our heliosphere, the protective bubble of particles and magnetic fields created by the Sun. The probe has enough power to continue exploring this region with at least one operational science instrument into the 2030s.

Mission engineers have taken steps to avoid turning off a science instrument for as long as possible because the science data collected by the twin Voyager probes is unique. No other human-made spacecraft has operated in interstellar space, the region outside the heliosphere.

The plasma science instrument measures the amount of plasma (electrically charged atoms) and the direction it is flowing. It has collected limited data in recent years due to its orientation relative to the direction that plasma is flowing in interstellar space.

Both spacecraft are powered by decaying plutonium lose about 4 watts of power each year. After twin Voyagers completed their exploration of giant planets in 1980s, mission team turned off several science instruments would not be used in study of interstellar space. That gave the spacecraft plenty of extra power until a few years ago. Since team turned off all onboard systems not essential for keeping probes working, including some heaters. In order to postpone having to shut off another science instrument, they adjusted Voyager 2’ voltage is monitored.

On Sept. 26, engineers issued the command to turn off the plasma science instrument. Sent by NASA’s Deep Space Network, it took 19 hours to reach Voyager 2, and the return signal took another 19 hours to reach Earth.
Mission engineers always carefully monitor changes being made to the 47-year-old spacecraft’s operations
https://blogs.nasa.gov/voyager/2024/10/0...r-2-power/

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