A rendering represents one of NASA’s twin Voyager spacecraft. The farthest and longest surviving human-made objects in space, these spacecraft marked their 40th anniversary in August and September 2017. Image Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech
NASA’s base in Australia has effectively redirected Voyager 2, with the receipt of scientific and telemetry data validating the spacecraft’s standard functioning and projected course.
From NASA’s Deep Space Network facility in Canberra, Australia, a message was sent to Voyager 2, positioned more than 12.3 billion miles (19.9 billion kilometers) away. This ‘cosmic call’ instructed the spacecraft to reposition itself and direct its antenna towards Earth. With the one-way light travel time for the instruction to reach Voyager 2 being 18.5 hours, it took a total of 37 hours for the mission controllers to confirm if the command was successful. At 12:29 a.m. EDT on August 4, the spacecraft began transmitting scientific and telemetry data, signifying its normal operations and adherence to the anticipated path.
Deep Space Station 43, with its 70-meter diameter antenna, is the Southern Hemisphere’s largest movable parabolic antenna. This monumental structure, weighing in excess of 3000 tonnes, spins on a thin film of oil. Its reflective surface comprises of 1,272 aluminum panels, covering an entire area of 4180 square meters, with outer panels designed to let wind and rain pass through. Image Source: NASA
NASA’s Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex (CDSCC) hosts several ‘large dish’ antennas, which are used daily to receive data from, and send commands to, a broad spectrum of spacecraft. In 1987, to enhance its capabilities for the 1989 Neptune encounter with Voyager 2, Deep Space Station 43 (DSS-43) was upgraded from a 64-meter diameter antenna to a 70-meter diameter one.
Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Voyager 2 communication
What spacecraft has NASA reestablished communication with?
NASA has reestablished communication with Voyager 2.
Where is the facility that managed to reorient Voyager 2?
The facility that successfully reoriented Voyager 2 is located in Canberra, Australia.
How was Voyager 2 communicated with from the facility in Australia?
The Deep Space Network facility in Canberra sent a signal to Voyager 2, instructing it to reorient itself and direct its antenna back to Earth.
How long did it take for the command to reach Voyager 2?
With a one-way light travel time, it took approximately 18.5 hours for the command to reach Voyager 2.
What significant antenna is present in the Canberra facility?
Deep Space Station 43 in the Canberra facility features a 70-meter diameter antenna, the largest steerable parabolic antenna in the Southern Hemisphere.
How was the antenna in Deep Space Station 43 upgraded for the Voyager 2 mission?
In 1987, the antenna in Deep Space Station 43 was expanded from a 64-meter diameter antenna to a 70-meter diameter one to enhance its capabilities for Voyager 2’s 1989 encounter with Neptune.
More about Voyager 2 communication
- Voyager 2 Mission
- NASA’s Deep Space Network
- Voyager Interstellar Mission
- NASA’s Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex
- Deep Space Station 43
4 comments
Good work NASA!! Stil going strong even aftr 40 years in space, huh?
can’t believe how far Voyager 2 has gone… Mind-blowing!
Isn’t it amazing how far our technology has come… we’re communicating across billions of miles of space, it’s nuts!!
The folks at Canberra facility sure know their stuff, hats off to them for making this happen!!