Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
NASA Just Updated Voyager from 15 Billion Miles Away
"Voyager's 15 Billion Mile Software Update," in five bullet points:
In 2015, NASA sought a software engineer skilled in FORTRAN and Assembly to join the Voyager team, maintaining the original 50-year-old computers of the space probes.
Despite their age, the Voyager probes operate on just 70 kilobytes of memory, successfully navigating through the solar system and making significant discoveries.
Issues arose with Voyager 1, which began sending back garbled telemetry data, and its thrusters showed signs of fatigue, necessitating updates to maintain functionality.
The Voyager probes lack a traditional operating system, requiring engineers to optimize code and remove unnecessary lines to conserve memory and power.
Previous updates included reprogramming the camera for longer exposures at Neptune, demonstrating the ongoing need for software updates to ensure the probes' longevity and efficiency.
• #NASA #Voyager #DeepSpace #SpaceExploration #SpaceMission #SoftwareUpdate #Engineering #ComputerScience #AssemblyLanguage #Science Astronomy #Astrophysics #SpaceTechnology #ScienceExplained #DidYouKnow #TechHistory #OuterSpace #SpaceFacts #Innovation
NASA Just Updated Voyager from 15 Billion Miles Away
"Voyager's 15 Billion Mile Software Update," in five bullet points:
In 2015, NASA sought a software engineer skilled in FORTRAN and Assembly to join the Voyager team, maintaining the original 50-year-old computers of the space probes.
Despite their age, the Voyager probes operate on just 70 kilobytes of memory, successfully navigating through the solar system and making significant discoveries.
Issues arose with Voyager 1, which began sending back garbled telemetry data, and its thrusters showed signs of fatigue, necessitating updates to maintain functionality.
The Voyager probes lack a traditional operating system, requiring engineers to optimize code and remove unnecessary lines to conserve memory and power.
Previous updates included reprogramming the camera for longer exposures at Neptune, demonstrating the ongoing need for software updates to ensure the probes' longevity and efficiency.
• #NASA #Voyager #DeepSpace #SpaceExploration #SpaceMission #SoftwareUpdate #Engineering #ComputerScience #AssemblyLanguage #Science Astronomy #Astrophysics #SpaceTechnology #ScienceExplained #DidYouKnow #TechHistory #OuterSpace #SpaceFacts #Innovation
