Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Voyager 1 spacecraft thrusters fired up for first time since 1980
The mission was given forty years ago. The spacecraft is now flying in interstellar space off our solar system about 20 billion kilometers away from earth and is still reporting daily. When Voyager 1 spacecraft was needed to adjust the angle to point its antenna towards earth, NASA, the creator, and operator of the spacecraft gave an order to fire up the thrusters that had not been used for the last 37 years. There is no doubt that it was the longest-distance order human being had placed in history. Fortunately, the order reached the spacecraft and was executed properly. Can you imagine how grateful the NASA staff were when they confirmed signal from the spacecraft?
Though the primary mission of Voyager 1 will end in a few years, it’ll still keep flying towards the constellation Ursa Minor. It may be picked up by someone along the way, or come back to earth to complete its mission like was shown in Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Enjoy reading and thinking if this spacecraft will ever be passed by another human-made spacecraft.
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