NASA has once again received data about the status of computers aboard Voyager 1, one of two space probes beyond the solar system. The next step is to ensure that Voyager 1 will send readable science data back.
NASA is trying to complete the recovery process By updating the software from it flight data subsystem, Or FD. About 3% of the code on that chip, which is responsible for sending scientific data readably from Voyager 1 to Earth, is no longer usable. This piece of code is not necessary and NASA employees will move it in blocks to other parts of memory.
To achieve this, employees must change the location of the code on the FDS and other places where references to that code also need updates. This will happen in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, Voyager 1 transmitted its case back to Earth. A few years ago, Voyager1 also suffered a computer malfunction.
Voyager 1 and 2 left Earth in 1977 and are now 24 billion kilometers away, outside the solar system. The message takes 22.5 hours to reach the space probe. NASA says Voyager 2, which lost contact again last year, is still operating properly.
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