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NASA had not reported turning off another Voyager 2 science instrument as of its Aug. 4, 2026 update. The latest completed shutdown was the Low-energy Charged Particles experiment (LECP), switched off on March 24, 2025. NASA still listed the Cosmic Ray Subsystem (CRS) as operating, with a shutdown scheduled for 2026; a power-saving effort called “Big Bang” delayed the next instrument shutdown.
What happened to Voyager 2’s instruments?
NASA’s Aug. 4, 2026 update described a power-conservation operation, not a newly switched-off science instrument. Engineers turned off certain powered devices and substituted lower-power alternatives while keeping the spacecraft warm enough to operate. NASA said the work should allow Voyager 2’s three operating science instruments to run for at least one extra year, avoiding another instrument shutdown before the end of 2026.
NASA’s instrument status page listed CRS as on but scheduled to be turned off in 2026. Because the later update says a shutdown was postponed, CRS should be described as still operating in the cited status record, not as already switched off. The schedule may change as power-management decisions evolve.
Which Voyager 2 instruments have been switched off?
| Instrument | Status and date | What it measured and why it was selected |
|---|---|---|
| Plasma Science (PLS) | Switched off Sept. 26, 2024 | Measured plasma amount and flow direction. In Voyager 2’s current orientation, useful observations were limited; its fourth cup produced useful data only during periodic spacecraft turns. PLS had contributed to the 2018 determination that Voyager 2 crossed the heliosphere. |
| Low-energy Charged Particles (LECP) | Switched off March 24, 2025 | Measured energetic particles, including ions, electrons, and cosmic rays. NASA’s status page records this as Voyager 2’s most recent completed science-instrument shutdown. |
| Cosmic Ray Subsystem (CRS) | Listed as on and scheduled for shutdown in 2026 | NASA’s status page does not state a further science-role or selection rationale in the cited status entry. The Aug. 4, 2026 update says the next instrument shutdown was delayed. |
The PLS shutdown command took 19 hours to reach Voyager 2, and the return signal took 19 hours, according to NASA/JPL’s Oct. 1, 2024 report. Those delays are a reminder that instrument changes on a spacecraft this distant require careful planning and long waits for confirmation.
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Why does NASA turn off instruments?
Voyager 2 gets electrical power from radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs), which convert heat from decaying plutonium into electricity; the spacecraft does not rely on solar panels. NASA reported in 2024 that each Voyager spacecraft loses about 4 watts of electrical output per year as its RTG supply declines. This is a gradual reduction, so mission teams conserve power by switching off equipment that is no longer essential and, eventually, science instruments.
NASA says Voyager science and engineering teams agreed on the instrument shutdown sequence years earlier. That makes the decisions planned mission management rather than sudden reactions to a malfunction. When power is scarce, teams weigh an instrument’s continuing scientific contribution against the electricity it requires.
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Does an instrument shutdown mean the Voyager 2 mission is over?
No. Turning off a science instrument reduces the spacecraft’s ability to collect a particular kind of science data; it does not by itself end the spacecraft or communications. NASA distinguishes science observations from engineering telemetry, which reports spacecraft health and operation. Its FAQ says engineering data could continue after science collection ends, but its approximate communications horizon through about 2036 is an older, conditional projection—not a current or guaranteed end date.
NASA’s Aug. 2026 account concerns keeping Voyager 2’s remaining science instruments operating longer. It does not establish an exact final date for science operations, telemetry, or communications.
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What to watch for next
The useful distinction in future updates is between a scheduled shutdown and a completed one. NASA’s status page and mission updates are the sources to check for confirmation that CRS—or another instrument—has actually been switched off. The latest cited update records CRS as operating and says the next instrument shutdown was delayed.
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- NASA Voyager spacecraft instrument status
- NASA’s Aug. 4, 2026 update on Voyager 2’s power-saving work
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