Voyager 1 gets emergency instrument shutdown to solve escalating power crisis and give it ‘about a year of breathing room’ — interstellar spacecraft's nuclear power source is dying, leading to intensifying countermeasures

NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft faces a power crisis as its nuclear power source dwindles, prompting an emergency shutdown of the Low-energy Charged Particles experiment to conserve power. The aging radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) onboard is losing power annually, with estimates suggesting it has around 57% of its original capacity left. To extend Voyager 1's mission, engineers are planning an energy-efficient upgrade called "the Big Bang" that involves replacing power-hungry devices with lower-power alternatives. If successful, this fix could potentially allow Voyager 1 to continue its mission beyond its expected retirement date.