THE VOYAGER space probe has sent data back to Earth that is perplexing scientists everywhere.
The Voyager has surpassed the expectations that were set for the probe at its launch in 1977.
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The Voyager is 14.5billion miles away and still beams data back home to Earth.
Because of the vast expanse of space between the two, it takes almost 21 hours to send a message to the probe.
Recent data sent back by the probe about its location and orientation in space conflicts with what Nasa knows about the probe’s position.
“A mystery like this is sort of par for the course at this stage of the Voyager mission,” said Suzanne Dodd, a project manager at Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Lab.
Nasa focused a statement on the attitude and articulation and control system (AACS) that may be at the root of the issue.
The AACS “controls the 45-year-old spacecraft’s orientation” and “keeps Voyager 1’s high-gain antenna pointed precisely at Earth”.
The signal to the Voyager has not weakened or faded, but the AACS is indeed transmitting bad data.
“I think if there’s a way to solve this issue with the AACS, our team will find it,” Dodd said.
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The probe was launched 45 years ago and is the most distant man-made object in space.
“We’re also in interstellar space — a high-radiation environment that no spacecraft have flown in before,” Dodd added.
Interstellar space is defined as the unexplored deep space where the effects of the Sun cannot be felt.
On board the Voyager, there is are golden vinyl records with images, music, sounds and greetings from Earth.
“The spacecraft will be encountered and the record played only if there are advanced spacefaring civilizations in interstellar space. But the launching of this bottle into the cosmic ocean says something very hopeful about life on this planet,” famed scientist Carl Sagan said of the mission and records.
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