The four instruments on NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft are returning science data for the first time since a computer malfunction last November.
  • @CrackhappyEnglish
    21•5 months ago

    It is astounding that a space probe designed and built before micro computers were a thing is still sending data from beyond the outer fringes of our solar system. I cannot imagine, anthropomorphically what that space probe is enduring right now, out there.

    • @over_cloxEnglish
      13•5 months ago

      It was built before planned obsolescence was in full force, they generally built shit to last back then.

      I’ll await comments regarding the lightbulb industry…

      • threelonmusketeersOPEnglish
        3•5 months ago

        I’ll await comments regarding the lightbulb industry

        The lightbulb issue was more nuanced than it seems at first sight. While longer lasting incandescent lightbulbs could have been made, it would come at the cost of reduced efficiency, and thus more energy used in operation.

        Technology Connections did a great video on the topic: Longer-lasting light bulbs: it was complicated

    • @cucumber_sandwichEnglish
      6•5 months ago

      I cannot imagine, anthropomorphically what that space probe is enduring right now, out there.

      Apart from being far away space is pretty much the same everywhere. I guess if you want to attribute homesickness to voyager, but other than that…