NASA power changes extend Voyager 2 science operations

NASA engineers reduced Voyager 2's power use through a coordinated change that shut down certain powered devices and replaced them with lower-electricity alternatives. The spacecraft loses about 4 watts of power each year as its radioisotope generators decline. NASA says the conserved power should let Voyager 2's three remaining science instruments operate for at least one additional year; without the change, another instrument would have been shut down before the end of 2026. The team plans a similar change for Voyager 1 in coming months.