NASA figured out how to keep its 48-year-old Voyager 2 probe running for yet another year

space.com Aug 8, 2026

NASA figured out how to keep its 48-year-old Voyager 2 probe running for yet another year

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Aug 8, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

NASA engineers have implemented a power‑conservation maneuver dubbed the “Big Bang” on Voyager 2, reducing its electricity use so the remaining three science instruments can operate for at least another year. The 48‑year‑old probe relies on a radioisotope thermoelectric generator that loses about four watts annually as plutonium decays, forcing the team to shut off non‑essential hardware and replace some functions with lower‑power alternatives. Voyager 2, now 142 AU from Earth, has already lost two instruments since 2024, leaving only plasma, cosmic‑ray and magnetic‑field sensors active. A similar update is planned for Voyager 1, which is farther out at roughly 171 AU. Both spacecraft continue to return interstellar data decades after their last planetary encounters. The maneuver extends the mission without requiring hardware or fuel.

💡 Why It Matters

· Keeping Voyager alive preserves the only human‑made sensors in interstellar space, offering continuous measurements of the heliosphere’s edge.

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Engineers race to save stricken LINK rescue spacecraft before it’s too late

Katalyst Space Technologies launched the LINK rescue spacecraft on July 3 to rendezvous with NASA’s Swift telescope and boost it to a higher orbit before atmospheric drag forces it out of service. Three weeks later, LINK began spinning at 9°/s, lost two reaction wheels, and experienced a communications outage. Engineers used electric‑propulsion burns to reduce the spin to 1.47°/s and are uploading new attitude‑control software to stabilize the craft and align it with Swift. The mission remains critical as Swift’s orbit is expected to drop below 186 miles by October.

💡 Swift’s continued operation hinges on LINK’s success; without the rescue, the telescope would lose its ability to study gamma‑ray bursts, erasing a decade of scientific data.

space.com · Aug 8

Inside the mystery of the James Webb Space Telescope’s little red dots…

The James Webb Space Telescope’s “little red dots,” bright infrared sources from 13.2–12.2 billion years ago, may evolve into active galactic nuclei. A new study identifies the galaxy WISEA J123635.56+621424.2, dubbed the Saguaro, at redshift 2 (10.5 billion years ago) as a likely descendant. The Saguaro’s red core emits infrared, ultraviolet, and faint X‑rays, indicating an obscured active nucleus that aligns with the black‑hole‑star hypothesis. This finding links early universe objects to mature galaxies.

💡 It provides the first observational bridge between the enigmatic little red dots and modern active galaxies, confirming a key evolutionary pathway in cosmic history.

space.com · Aug 8

‘Not looking good right now’: Starship likely to be lost at sea…

SpaceX’s Starship upper stage, which survived its planned splashdown in the Indian Ocean during the July 24 Flight 13 test, is likely to be lost at sea. CEO Elon Musk announced on August 7 that recovery efforts are failing due to increasingly rough seas, despite the 52-meter spacecraft remaining intact. The vehicle, part of the 124-meter-tall megarocket, successfully deployed 20 Starlink V3 satellites before landing. Although the physical recovery is abandoned, SpaceX obtained critical close-up photos of the heat shield and engines. Musk previously stated the heat shield problem is effectively solved, a key milestone for Starship’s rapid reusability goals. The failed retrieval underscores the logistical challenges of ocean recoveries, even as the flight validated critical technologies for future missions, including the deployment of next-generation broadband satellites essential for SpaceX’s planned million-satellite AI constellation.

💡 The loss of the hardware does not negate the mission's success in validating the heat shield, which Musk considers solved. This technical breakthrough is the primary bottleneck for Starship's rapid reusability and its role in deploying massive satellite constellations.

spacenews.com · Aug 7

FCC Space Bureau deputy takes the reins amid licensing overhaul

The FCC has named Jennifer Gilsenan, its Space Bureau deputy chief, as acting chief following Jay Schwarz’s announced retirement. Gilsenan, who has spent over two decades at the FCC on satellite and spectrum issues, will lead the bureau created in 2023 to modernize space regulation. The agency recently approved a sweeping overhaul of its satellite licensing regime, aiming to accelerate and standardize application processing amid growing constellations. Chairman Brendan Carr praised Schwarz’s backlog reductions and expressed confidence in Gilsenan’s leadership.

💡 Gilsenan’s appointment ensures continuity of the FCC’s rapid licensing reforms, a critical factor as satellite operators expand global coverage. Her experience positions the bureau to maintain regulatory momentum and support the industry’s evolving needs.

spacenews.com · Aug 7

Senate installs new chiefs for U.S. military space acquisition, spy satellites

The U.S. Senate confirmed Erich Hernandez‑Baquero as the Air Force assistant secretary for space acquisition and integration and Roger Mason as director of the National Reconnaissance Office on Aug. 7, adding two industry veterans to the nation’s security‑space leadership. Both were confirmed in a 51‑47 vote, a day after Gen. Douglas Schiess was approved as the next chief of space operations. Hernandez‑Baquero, a former Raytheon vice president and ex‑NRO acquisition official, will oversee the Space Force’s acquisition enterprise as it pursues a record $71.1 billion FY 2027 budget and shifts to mission‑focused Portfolio Acquisition Executives. Mason, who previously led V2X’s growth unit and Peraton’s space‑intelligence business, replaces Christopher Scolese and will steer the NRO’s transition to proliferated satellite constellations and a more resilient architecture. Their appointments complete a trio of Senate‑confirmed leaders responsible for defining requirements, buying systems, and operating intelligence satellites amid a rapid overhaul of U.S. space procurement.

💡 Placing seasoned industry insiders at the helm accelerates the integration of new acquisition models and satellite constellations, directly shaping the United States’ ability to field responsive, resilient space capabilities.

space.com · Aug 7

NASA’s SkyFall Mars helicopters will wear tiny capes

NASA’s SkyFall mission will launch three 6‑inch rotorcraft to Mars, each fitted with a flexible Vivaldi antenna disguised as a cape. The antenna, made from polyester, Vectran, and fiberglass, will conduct ground‑penetrating radar up to 5 m below the surface, enabling detection of shallow ice layers. Miniaturized to 5 ounces, the antenna bends during landing and snaps back for flight, allowing repeated surveys. The data will inform future human missions about subsurface water resources and surface stability.

💡 By mapping near‑surface ice, SkyFall provides critical insights for astronauts’ habitat planning and resource extraction, directly supporting Mars exploration logistics.