NASA is Making Sacrifices To Keep the Voyager Mission Alive (theverge.com) 25
NASA has begun shutting down science instruments aboard the twin Voyager spacecraft to extend their 47-year journey through interstellar space, officials said. Voyager 1's cosmic ray subsystem was deactivated on February 25, while Voyager 2's low-energy charged particle instrument will be shut down on March 24. Both spacecraft will then operate with just three of their original ten science instruments.
The radioisotope power systems aboard the Voyagers lose approximately 4 watts annually, threatening to end their mission within months without intervention. "Electrical power is running low," said Voyager project manager Suzanne Dodd. "The Voyagers have been deep space rock stars since launch, and we want to keep it that way as long as possible." NASA engineers believe these measures could enable the probes to continue operating into the 2030s, far beyond their initial five-year design life.
The radioisotope power systems aboard the Voyagers lose approximately 4 watts annually, threatening to end their mission within months without intervention. "Electrical power is running low," said Voyager project manager Suzanne Dodd. "The Voyagers have been deep space rock stars since launch, and we want to keep it that way as long as possible." NASA engineers believe these measures could enable the probes to continue operating into the 2030s, far beyond their initial five-year design life.
Amazing (Score:5, Insightful)
Amazing pieces of technology and skill set of all those involved.
Seems like a miracle that they can even locate these things, let alone communicate with them.
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What homeless shelter? He'll have shut those down first.
When it comes to government spending, because the goal of government is different than for individuals and private companies, I find that there are often additional considerations in a 'freakonomics' sort of way.
Spending that is wasteful at first glance might not be when additional factors are taken into consideration.
Those same factors can also make a program that looks useful at first glance be downright counterproductive too.
I have no problems with
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Obviously including Louis Armstrong and Chuck Berry on the golden record is DEI
Also there's a naked dude drawn on there. Shut it down!
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Good luck catching up to the Voyager probes, though.
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I'm sure Elon can find a way to soak a few billion dollars of government contracts out of the idiot-in-chief trying!
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Sadly true but funny, mod the OP up and the replies to it!
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Anonymous Coward wrote:
good thing we can expect zero economic growth over the next 50 years
Exponential growth of the economy cannot continue forever. Anything less than exponential will trend in the long term toward a zero percent asymptote.
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When have we seen exponential growth, like, ever?
Back up your assertion with facts please.
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3% a year, measured by increase over the previous year, with some leveling (IE some years we increase 10%, some we decline) is still exponential growth.
https://www.statista.com/stati... [statista.com]
More importantly, with birth rates falling below replacement, keeping up real growth may become difficult. I have guarded hopes for AI and such, but it will take a massive reimaging of our economy, taxes, and more.
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Can we start with fair taxes? Why are we cutting taxes for billionaires when we need to shutdown everything in government?
Why won't Trump share his tax returns? Do Elon and his companies pay a their fair share of taxes?
Want to make America great again? Then we need fair system that doesn't squeeze the people that actually do all the work. Taxing labor but not capital gains is wrong.
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Well how about not cutting taxes for the most wealthy? That seems like a first step to not making the problem worse: stop fucking digging
Don't imagine we'll see that suggestion when the "big beautiful bill" comes up for a vote and we get to see what's in it.
Please stop defending billionaires trying to take away food and medicine from poor people.
NASA is Making Sacrifices! (Score:3)
I am sure that NASA has plenty of virgins available for sacrifice.
Re:NASA is Making Sacrifices! (Score:4, Funny)
They could sacrifice the DOGE staffers.
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'The Farthest' (Score:2)
is an outstanding documentary on this process.
Definitely worth a watch for those who are interested.
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Also, 'It's Quieter in the Twilight'.