NASA engineers extend Voyager 2's science operations with power-saving maneuver

Engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory carried out a carefully timed power-saving operation on the Voyager 2 probe, known as the “Big Bang” sequence. By simultaneously turning off certain devices and swapping others for lower-consumption alternatives, they preserved enough heat to keep the spacecraft functional while cutting its power usage. The effort succeeded, and NASA says the resulting savings will keep Voyager 2’s three active instruments running for at least an additional year.

Without the maneuver, an instrument would have needed to be switched off before the end of 2026. The agency intends to apply the same strategy to Voyager 1, which currently operates only two instruments. Both probes rely on aging radioisotope thermoelectric generators that lose roughly four watts of power each year.