NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft, currently the most distant spacecraft from Earth, recently contacted our planet via a transmitter that had not been used since 1981. This radio device was successfully reactivated after the spacecraft stopped responding to the last command received from the Deep Space Network antennas on October 16, 2024. Launched on September 5, 1977, Voyager 1 was designed to explore Saturn and continued its extraordinary journey to the edges of the Solar System, which it passed in 2012. It is currently about 165 times the distance between Earth and the Sun and has continued to function, sending back valuable data on the interstellar environment for almost fifty years.

However, the spacecraft has some problems related to its age. Recently, after sending new commands from Earth on October 16, an unexpected situation occurred. Considering the great distance, the signals take about 23 hours to reach Voyager 1 and the same amount of time to receive a response. The command sent, aimed at activating some heating systems, did not generate the expected response. Due to a problem yet to be identified, an emergency mode was activated that led to the shutdown of some electronic systems, including those for communication in the X-band.

However, the spacecraft was able to re-enable an emergency S-band communications system, a less efficient option that had not been used for 41 years. This system worked properly, allowing additional commands to be sent and the spacecraft to resume communications. This operation will allow Voyager 1 to continue its extraordinary journey beyond the Solar System. The spacecraft’s ability to adapt to critical situations demonstrates the reliability of space technologies developed decades ago and continues to provide vital information about deep space.