NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) deactivated the Low-energy Charged Particles (LECP) experiment on Voyager 1. The shutdown was necessitated by the spacecraft’s dwindling nuclear power supply, with the goal of extending the probe’s operational life in interstellar space.
The LECP had operated almost continuously for nearly 49 years, having been active since the spacecraft’s launch in 1977.
This move was driven by nuclear-powered spacecraft’s dwindling supply, with mission managers adding that disabling the LECP offered the best path to keep the probe operational.
The instrument was designed to track ions, electrons, and cosmic rays from both our solar system and the broader galaxy.
As the farthest probes from Earth, the twin Voyagers are the only unique instruments capable of gathering this specific class of interstellar data.
“While shutting down a science instrument is not anybody’s preference, it is the best option available,” said Kareem Badaruddin, Voyager mission manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
“Voyager 1 still has two remaining operating science instruments — one that listens to plasma waves and one that measures magnetic fields. They are still working great, sending back data from a region of space no other human-made craft has ever explored. The team remains focused on keeping both Voyagers going for as long as possible.”
It provided vital data on the interstellar medium, specifically detecting pressure fronts and particle density variations beyond the heliosphere.
The shutdown was not an emergency reaction but followed a pre-planned hierarchy designed to preserve crucial science instruments. Currently, two of the original instrument sets remain active on Voyager 1.
According to engineers, the closure of the Low-energy Charged Particles experiment will enable Voyager 1 to keep flying with its remaining functional instruments for approximately one more year.
This move follows a similar shutdown of the LECP on Voyager 2 in March 2025. These sacrifices are part of a broader strategy to keep Voyager 1 functional as it continues its journeys deeper into the interstellar void.
Extending the mission in this way could allow Voyager 1 to reach its 50th anniversary in 2027. Consequently, Voyager 1 continues to hold the distinction of being the most distant spacecraft ever built, traveling farther from the Sun with each passing year.
