NASA figured out how to keep its Voyager 2 probe running for another year

	NASA figured out how to keep its Voyager 2 probe running for another year(space.com)
	360 points by wglb 14 days ago \| 81 comments
	tl;dr: NASA engineers extended Voyager 2's operational life by roughly a year by shutting down non-essential systems and switching to lower-power alternatives, preserving its three remaining science instruments as its plutonium-powered generator loses about 4 watts annually. Voyager 1 will receive the same "Big Bang" power adjustment in coming months. Launched in 1977, both probes are now in interstellar space, with Voyager 1 about 15.9 billion miles from Earth.
	HN Discussion: ↑Personal anecdotes about the specialized JPL engineers keeping Voyager alive ↑Awe at the engineering achievement of Voyager as humanity's greatest feat ↑Recommending related media (documentaries, videos) about Voyager's technical challenges ↑Desire for more low-cost robotic deep-space missions like Voyager ↓Criticism of the article's title and the website's ad-heavy presentation