The End Is Near for NASA’s Voyager Probes – Here’s What Happens Next

After nearly five decades hurtling through space, NASA’s legendary Voyager 1 and 2 probes are finally approaching the end of their extraordinary journey. A recent interview with Voyager Project Scientist Linda Spilker, featured in Gizmodo, sheds light on the difficult decisions the team is facing as these iconic spacecraft run low on power.

Voyager’ Probes’ Last Whisper: How NASA Is Saying Goodbye to a Space Icon

Launched in 1977, the Voyagers have traveled farther than any other human-made objects, well beyond the influence of the Sun’s solar wind and into interstellar space. Along the way, they transformed our understanding of the solar system, offering humanity its first close-up views of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

But time is catching up with the twin probes. Each spacecraft is powered by a radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG), which gradually produces less power as the plutonium inside decays. This means NASA has been forced to shut down scientific instruments, one by one, in a bid to stretch the remaining energy as far as possible.

“It’s heartbreaking,” Spilker admits. “Each instrument turned off is a voice going quiet – one less way to listen to the universe.”

Earlier this year, the Plasma Science instrument on Voyager 2 was powered down. More shutdowns are expected in the coming months as the team prioritizes core systems that keep the spacecraft functional and communicating.

Despite the slow fading of their scientific capabilities, both Voyagers still beam back data – a feat of engineering and human perseverance. NASA hopes to keep them alive until at least 2026, possibly a few years longer.

When the time comes, the spacecraft will quietly drift on, carrying the Golden Records – time capsules of Earth’s culture and sounds—perhaps to be discovered by another civilization in a distant future.

The end may be near, but the Voyagers’ impact will echo across generations. As Spilker puts it, “They’ve gone farther than we ever imagined. And they’ve taken a part of us with them.”