NASA has turned off a device on Voyager 1 to conserve energy

NASA engineers have shut down one of the scientific instruments aboard the Voyager 1 spacecraft to extend its mission in interstellar space.

This was reported by Space.com.

The instrument in question is the Low-Energy Charged Particles (LECP) detector, which ceased operations on April 17. The decision was made to conserve the spacecraft’s limited power resources.

Voyager 1 was launched in 1977 and left the Solar System in 2012. As of April 2026, it remains the farthest human-made object from Earth—at a distance of about 24 billion kilometers.

Together with Voyager 2, the spacecraft transmits unique data about the interstellar medium, as these are the only probes currently beyond the boundaries of the Solar System.

The shutdown of the instruments is taking place according to a predefined plan, which allows for the scientific mission of the spacecraft to be extended as long as possible.

NASA welcomes the successful return of the Artemis II crew after their historic mission.

We also reported that NASA launched Artemis II: the first crewed flight to the Moon in 50 years.