NASA Loses Contact with the Voyager 2 Probe After Sending a Wrong Command
The agency believes that Voyager 2 will automatically reset its orientation in October, which should restore communication. Until then, astronomers and engineers are listening intently for any signals from the probe.
NASA's decades-long mission with the Voyager 2 probe has hit a communication snag. The space agency accidentally lost contact with the spacecraft on July 21 after issuing an incorrect command, causing its antenna to veer off course.
Voyager 2, launched in 1977 with a mission to explore the outer reaches of our solar system including Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, is currently situated about 19 billion kilometers from Earth. While the spacecraft seems to be functioning properly, it's been inadvertently oriented away from Earth, making communication impossible.
NASA's team is working to resolve the issue. The agency believes that Voyager 2 will automatically reset its orientation in October, which should restore communication. Until then, astronomers and engineers are listening intently for any signals from the probe, even though the time it takes for signals to travel back to Earth from that distance is more than 18 hours.
The Voyager 2 spacecraft, famous for its stunning images and discoveries, has outperformed its expected lifespan, and it's still actively exploring space beyond the solar system.