Connect with us

Latest

NASA shuts off Voyager 1 instrument to save power 15B miles from Earth

Published

on

NASA shut down one of Voyager 1’s science instruments to conserve dwindling power and keep the nearly 49-year-old spacecraft operating as it continues its journey through interstellar space more than 15 billion miles from Earth.

Engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California sent commands Friday to turn off Voyager 1’s Low-Energy Charged Particles (LECP) experiment, a long-running instrument that has operated almost continuously since the spacecraft launched in 1977.

The move comes as the nuclear-powered probe loses about 4 watts of power each year, and mission managers work to stretch its remaining lifespan.

“While shutting down a science instrument is not anybody’s preference, it is the best option available,” Kareem Badaruddin, Voyager mission manager at JPL, said in a statement. “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.”

TRUMP SWINGS FOR MOON WITH NUCLEAR REACTOR PLANS AS CHINA, RUSSIA TEAM UP IN SPACE RACE

The shutdown underscores the increasingly delicate balancing act facing the Voyager team as both spacecraft age far beyond their original mission plans.

Voyager 1 and its twin, Voyager 2, are powered by radioisotope thermoelectric generators that convert heat from decaying plutonium into electricity. After nearly five decades in space, engineers have had to steadily power down heaters and instruments while making sure the spacecraft do not get so cold that key systems, including fuel lines, are put at risk.

“The team remains focused on keeping both Voyagers going for as long as possible,” Badaruddin added.

SNUB OF MUSK’S NASA NOMINEE ALLY PRECEDED SUDDEN ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ CRITICISM, TRUMP FEUD

The pressure to act intensified after Voyager 1 experienced an unexpected drop in power during a routine roll maneuver Feb. 27, according to NASA.

Engineers feared that any further decline could trigger the spacecraft’s undervoltage fault protection system, which is designed to automatically shut down components to protect the probe. Recovering from such a fault can be lengthy and carries added risk, prompting the team to move before the spacecraft did it on its own.

The two Voyager probes remain the only spacecraft far enough from Earth to collect data on “detecting pressure fronts and regions of varying particle density in the space beyond our heliosphere,” according to NASA.

IS THIS SPACE CAPSULE HOW WE WILL LIVE AND WORK IN ORBIT IN THE FUTURE?

“Engineers are confident that shutting down the LECP will give Voyager 1 about a year of breathing room,” a NASA press release said. “They are using the time to finalize a more ambitious energy-saving fix for both Voyagers they call ‘the Big Bang,’ which is designed to further extend Voyager operations.”

“The idea is to swap out a group of powered devices all at once — hence the nickname — turning some things off and replacing them with lower-power alternatives to keep the spacecraft warm enough to continue gathering science data,” the release continued.

The decision to turn off LECP was not made suddenly. NASA said mission science and engineering teams had years ago agreed on the order in which spacecraft systems would be shut down as available power declined. Of the 10 original instrument sets carried by the twin probes, seven have now been switched off. Voyager 2’s LECP instrument was shut down in March 2025.

Because Voyager 1 is now more than 15 billion miles from Earth, commands take roughly 23 hours to arrive. The shutdown sequence itself takes more than three hours to complete. One part of the LECP system — a small motor that rotates the sensor so it can scan in all directions — will remain powered because it uses only about half a watt. Engineers hope that could leave open the possibility of restarting the instrument in the future if more power becomes available.

Continue Reading

Latest

Biden claims constitutional safeguards are being ‘trampled on’ ahead of America’s 250th

Published

on

Former President Joe Biden said during an interview published Tuesday that the Constitution was being “trampled on,” without expressly naming his successor, Donald Trump.

“I’m not sure we’re as divided as we are portrayed,” he told NBC’s Jenna Bush Hager. “I’m sure there’s anywhere from 15-30% of the people who are on the one end here, but I think the vast majority of people are coming around to conclude that, you know, those things they don’t even think about it directly, but the safeguards in the Constitution … I think people are beginning to realize they are sort of being trampled on right now.”

The NBC segment contained an edit between Biden’s remarks about the safeguards in the Constitution and that they were being “trampled on,” but it appeared to be a continuous thought. Hager spoke to all the living former presidents — Biden, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and her father, George W. Bush, about America’s 250th anniversary.

“So, I’m hopeful that people are going to begin to say, ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait. We got to slow this thing up,’” Biden said. “We’re coming to the 250th anniversary of the country, and, for me, I think it reminds people that democracy is dependent on certain basic rules.”

REP JAMES CLYBURN SUGGESTS DEMOCRACY STILL AT RISK AFTER LAST ELECTION: ELECTION OF 1876 ‘LED TO JIM CROW’

Obama told Hager the country was going through “uncertain times,” but he still remained hopeful.

“When you look at the sweep of American history, we’ve gone through rough patches. And we tend to come out on the other side of them stronger,” he said.

Clinton also shared a message about democracy.

“The country will survive as much by the process, by the freedom to speak, by the freedom to vote, by the freedom to be active in politics as by any particular issue,” Clinton said. “And because it’s like it is, compromise is essential.”

$20M ‘ONE SMALL STEP’ CAMPAIGN AIMS TO REBUILD AMERICAN PRIDE AHEAD OF 250TH ANNIVERSARY

Bush said people should consider themselves fortunate to be “part of a great nation.”

He added, “Study our history so you have a better sense for what the future will be like. And be a citizen, not a spectator. And by that, I mean participate in the process but also love a neighbor like you’d like to be loved yourself.”

America is celebrating its 250th anniversary July 4.

Organizers for the America 250 celebration touted a slew of plans to commemorate the country’s historic anniversary on July 4, detailing the programs in the works and hinting that more information would become publicly available in the coming weeks.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

Rosie Rios, former U.S. treasurer and chairwoman of America 250, said the festivities would begin July 3 and extend into July 4.

“We are doing the first-ever ball drop in the history of Times Square outside of New Year’s Eve. This will happen on July 3,” Rios said in March.

In addition, Rios said organizers would compile “America’s soundtrack,” a combination of the country’s most iconic music put together by Emilio Estefan, a 19-time Grammy Award winner. 

It will include a time capsule that will be opened in another 250 years. And it would attempt to foster a sense of generosity around July 4 that would extend to future years.

Fox News’ Leo Briceno contributed to this report.

Continue Reading

Latest

Two injured after explosion rips through chemical plant, sparking hazmat response, shelter-in-place order

Published

on

Two employees were injured Tuesday morning after an explosion at an Illinois chemical plant triggered a large hazmat response and prompted a temporary shelter-in-place order for nearby workers.

Authorities said the industrial blast occurred shortly before 8 a.m. at the Coogee Chemical facility in Ottawa, a small city southwest of Chicago.

The incident reportedly involved a magnesium fire — an intense and highly dangerous blaze that cannot be extinguished with water — that stemmed from an apparent malfunction in oxygen sensor equipment, allowing oxygen levels to rise.

“Early findings suggest the explosion may have been the result of equipment failure during a process involving the transfer of magnesium into a storage container,” the Ottawa fire department (OFD) said. 

2 KILLED IN NORTH CAROLINA WHEN ‘PLANNED’ FIGHT ESCALATES INTO SHOOTING NEAR MIDDLE SCHOOL
 

“A malfunction in this system is believed to have allowed oxygen levels to increase, resulting in a reaction with the magnesium and causing the explosion.” 

Authorities said the two employees injured in the incident were quickly transported to a local hospital for treatment.

One worker was rescued from inside the facility by an initial response team, while the second was able to self-evacuate to a nearby building, the fire department said.

“An initial entry team from the first-due truck company located the first injured employee inside the structure and rapidly removed the individual to awaiting EMS personnel,” OFD said. 

The extent of the workers’ injuries remains unclear.

A secondary search later confirmed that all facility personnel had been accounted for.

DISTRESS CALL CAPTURES TANKER UNDER FIRE, IRAN SHUTS HORMUZ TRAPPING THOUSANDS OF SAILORS

Crews also had to use specialized on-site industrial dry chemical agents to safely suppress the magnesium fire, as water can further intensify the reaction.

The fire department said the blaze was brought under control at approximately 8:14 a.m., roughly 15 minutes after it broke out.

As a safety precaution, the Ottawa Police Department and the Illinois Department of Transportation temporarily closed a nearby road, and individuals in the area were advised to shelter in place.

All responding personnel underwent standard decontamination procedures on scene, while hazmat teams assisted with patient decontamination at the hospital.

The fire reportedly caused minimal damage to the facility, and plant operations have been suspended pending an investigation.

The Illinois Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Illinois OSHA) is assisting with the investigation. 

Continue Reading

Latest

Bear Grylls reveals why A-list stars willingly eat snakes, brave glaciers on ‘Running Wild’

Published

on

One of the world’s most recognizable survivalists, Bear Grylls, swapped the rugged cliffs of Norway for the bright lights of the “Fox & Friends” studio this week — at least for a short time.

Joining host Brian Kilmeade, Grylls discussed the ninth season of his hit show, “Running Wild,” which makes its debut on FOX.

While most talk shows involve celebrities sitting on a sofa to promote their latest project, the approach by Grylls is a bit more visceral.

HEALTHY DIETS SPARK LUNG CANCER RISK IN NON-SMOKERS AS PESTICIDES LOOM

The new season of his show features a heavy-hitting lineup, including Matthew McConaughey, whom Grylls took to a glacier in Norway.

Kilmeade joked about Grylls’ casual appearance. But the survivalist was quick to note that his mother often called him the scruffiest person in the room.

For Grylls, however, the attire is a uniform for a job that bridges the gap between A-list glamour and rugged human experience.

“The wild never judges,” Grylls said on “Fox & Friends.”

RARE ROMAN MOSAIC SHOWS WOMAN BATTLING WILD ANIMALS IN THE ARENA, RESEARCHER SAYS

“I’ve done this all my life. … My dad was a former Marine, taught me a lot of this stuff. … This became my world,” Grylls said.

When asked why some of the most successful people on Earth would willingly subject themselves to the harsh conditions seen in the show’s promos — such as eating snakes or boiling water to avoid illness — Grylls said, for these stars, the appeal is about authenticity.

“It’s different [from] a chat show, where you sit on the sofa, and there’s a performance for three minutes to tell a funny story,” Grylls said. 

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

“Nature does my job for me. Like I said, it opens people up. I think a lot of these stars — they want the experience of what the wild can give you.”

CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES

The duo reviewed a clip of McConaughey learning the hard way that even “pristine” Norwegian water needs to be boiled to avoid a mid-journey disaster.

Reflecting on nine seasons of taking world leaders and icons into the brush, Grylls shared his biggest takeaway.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

“Everyone’s just a regular person underneath it all,” he said. “I admire the fact that they’re out of their comfort zone. And that becomes a discipline. Successful people do the difficult.”

“Running Wild” airs tonight on FOX, with episodes available for streaming the following day on Hulu.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2026 Political Signal