Voyager 2: NASA loses contact with probe. See what happened

NASA revealed that Voyager 2, which has been exploring the universe since 1977, lost contact after receiving a wrong command. The probe is expected to reset in October, possibly resuming communication.

Voyager 2 loses contact with NASA

Voyager 2, which is located over 12.3 billion miles away from Earth, mistakenly tilted its antenna two degrees away from our planet last month, resulting in the halt of data transmission and reception of commands with NASA's Deep Space Network.

Communication may resume

Despite the communication loss, NASA remains optimistic about the probe's fate, hoping that the scheduled reset on October 15 will reestablish contact. The space agency's massive dish in Canberra, Australia, is actively scanning for any stray signals from Voyager 2, a process taking more than 18 hours due to the vast distance.

In the meantime, Voyager 2 continues its trajectory through interstellar space at a staggering speed of approximately 34,390mph (55,346km/h). The spacecraft, laden with scientific instruments, maintains its planned course while awaiting a potential reconnection.

Why is Voyager 2 special?

Voyager 2 and its twin, Voyager 1, hold the distinction of being the only spacecraft to venture beyond the heliosphere, the protective region of particles and magnetic fields created by the Sun. Voyager 2 became the first craft to fly by Neptune and Uranus, while Voyager 1 currently resides nearly 15 billion miles away from Earth, making it the farthest human-made object.

Both probes capitalized on a rare alignment of outer planets, occurring approximately every 176 years, to explore Jupiter and Saturn. They achieved interstellar space in 2018 and 2012, respectively. With their Golden Records containing sounds, images, and messages representing Earth, Voyager 1 and 2 have become ambassadors of humanity to potential extraterrestrial civilizations.

FAQs

Q1:Why did NASA lose contact with Voyager 2?
NASA lost contact due to a wrong command, causing the probe to tilt its antenna away from Earth, halting communication.

Q2:Will Voyager 2 resume communication soon?
NASA hopes communication will resume during the October reset. Meanwhile, the probe's orientation keeps it on course through interstellar space.