Voyager 1 LECP Shutdown for Power

Engineers at United States===NASA's United States===Jet Propulsion Laboratory have sent commands to shut down the Low-energy Charged Particles experiment (LECP) aboard Voyager 1. This action, taken on April 17, 2026, is a critical step to conserve the nuclear-powered spacecraft's dwindling energy reserves and extend its operational life. Voyager 1, which launched in 1977, is running low on power due to the natural decay of its radioisotope thermoelectric generator. An unexpected power drop in February 2026 prompted the decision to deactivate the LECP, which had been operating for nearly 49 years. The spacecraft now relies on two remaining science instruments: the Plasma Wave Subsystem and the Magnetometer. United States===NASA is also developing a more ambitious power management strategy, dubbed 'the Big Bang,' which will first be tested on Voyager 2 in May and June 2026, with potential application to Voyager 1 later in the year. The ultimate goal is to keep at least one instrument on both Voyager spacecraft operational into the 2030s, continuing their unprecedented exploration of interstellar space.