A couple of days ago NASA confirmed that its tiny interplanetary probe Voyager 1 which has been in space for more than 36 years left the solar system. The leaving has raised some burning questions and hence lately NASA scientists have answered those questions.
Voyager 1 is the very first spacecraft that has been in the solar system for more than 36 years. Scientists have confirmed that Voyager 1 left the heliosphere on August 25, 2012 and entered into interstellar space. But the news left us with plenty of questions: What kind of data can we get from Voyager 1 now?, what NASA plans to do with it? etc. And therefore, the scientists and engineers of NASA lately have answered such questions at Reddit AMA. Here are some of the Question-answer session:
How can you still receive information from Voyager after it’s gone so much further than expected?
What establishes the distinction between interstellar space and space considered to belong to our solar system?
Is Voyager still able to capture and send photos back to Earth?
Why was that? Too much power usage?
How long does it take to receive signals from Voyager now?
What kind of data do we get from Voyager?
What does the data from Voyager look like when it is first received?
How long will it take for the power to run out?
What kinds of data do you hope to see in Voyager’s remaining years?
Once the Voyagers run out of power and stop transmitting, will we still be able to detect them?
Can Voyager be said to drift indefinitely?
What else in the universe lies along its current trajectory and how far away is it?
How does the processor and memory of Voyager I compare to the average modern smartphone?
Do you have an official brief or Standard Operating Procedure if you pick up unmistakable signs of alien life?
Courtesy: PopSci
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