After five months of radio silence, National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Voyager 1 probe is back from the dead.&nbsp;

In a stellar display of problem-solving, a team of mission engineers have devised a workaround to a key computer chip whose failure led the 46-year-old spacecraft to only beam back an indecipherable repeating pattern of code.

<h2>Beaming gibberish</h2>

Since November last year, Voyager 1's flight data system had been stuck in a loop. The spacecraft, which is currently around 15 billion miles away from earth, began sending gibberish that NASA could not decipher. The data received was unusable, and the scientists were unable to determine Voyager 1's health status.

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Months later, in March, the Voyager engineering team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California confirmed that the "issue was tied to one of the spacecraft's three onboard computers, called the flight data subsystem (FDS)."

"The FDS is responsible for packaging the science and engineering data before it's sent to Earth," reports NASA.

They found that a single chip responsible for storing a portion of the FDS memory wasn't working.

Now, NASA scientists have devised an audacious workaround the ageing spacecraft's faulty chip — they rewrote the corrupted software from scratch and relocated it piecemeal into unaffected areas of the probe's computer memory.

<h2>How did they do it?</h2>

The team started their journey towards finding a possible solution by "singling out the code responsible for packaging the spacecraft's engineering data," and sending "it to its new location in the FDS memory on April 18."

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According to NASA, "a radio signal takes about 22 ½ hours to reach Voyager 1, which is over 15 billion miles (24 billion kilometres) from Earth, and another 22 ½ hours for a signal to come back to Earth."

"When the mission flight team heard back from the spacecraft on April 20, they saw that the modification worked: For the first time in five months, they have been able to check the health and status of the spacecraft," added the space agency.

Although old, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 are one of humanity's greatest achievements. The twin voyager spacecraft "are the longest-running and most distant spacecraft in history."

(With inputs from agencies)

After five months of radio silence, National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Voyager 1 probe is back from the dead. In a stellar display of problem-solving, a team of mission engineers have devised a workaround to a key computer chip whose failure led the 46-year-old spacecraft to only beam back an indecipherable repeating pattern of code.

After five months of radio silence, National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Voyager 1 probe is back from the dead. In a stellar display of problem-solving, a team of mission engineers have devised a workaround to a key computer chip whose failure led the 46-year-old spacecraft to only beam back an indecipherable repeating pattern of code. Beaming gibberish Since November last year, Voyager 1's flight data system had been stuck in a loop. The spacecraft, which is currently around 15 billion miles away from earth, began sending gibberish that NASA could not decipher. The data received was unusable, and the scientists were unable to determine Voyager 1's health status. Also read | Scientists believe Uranus and Neptune are 'ice giants,' but a new study hints at something else Months later, in March, the Voyager engineering team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California confirmed that the "issue was tied to one of the spacecraft's three onboard computers, called the flight data subsystem (FDS)." "The FDS is responsible for packaging the science and engineering data before it's sent to Earth," reports NASA. They found that a single chip responsible for storing a portion of the FDS memory wasn't working. Now, NASA scientists have devised an audacious workaround the ageing spacecraft's faulty chip — they rewrote the corrupted software from scratch and relocated it piecemeal into unaffected areas of the probe's computer memory. How did they do it? The team started their journey towards finding a possible solution by "singling out the code responsible for packaging the spacecraft's engineering data," and sending "it to its new location in the FDS memory on April 18." Also read | Nature’s grand theatre: Volcanic eruption and northern lights create stunning visuals in Iceland. Watch! According to NASA, "a radio signal takes about 22 ½ hours to reach Voyager 1, which is over 15 billion miles (24 billion kilometres) from Earth, and another 22 ½ hours for a signal to come back to Earth." "When the mission flight team heard back from the spacecraft on April 20, they saw that the modification worked: For the first time in five months, they have been able to check the health and status of the spacecraft," added the space agency. Although old, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 are one of humanity's greatest achievements. The twin voyager spacecraft "are the longest-running and most distant spacecraft in history." (With inputs from agencies)

Voyager 1 ends 'radio silence' thanks to NASA's software repair 15 billion miles away from Earth

Scientists have finally found out what's happening to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s pioneering Voyager 1 spacecraft, and what's behind the gibberish sounds coming from it in November. NASA launched the space probe Voyager 1 in 1977 to study the outer Solar System, the interstellar space beyond the Sun's heliosphere.&nbsp;

Voyager 1, which is the most distant spacecraft to Earth, has been acting weird and talking gibberish on the interplanetary "radio". It has left the scientists perplexed.&nbsp;

NASA previously said that the engineers and other experts were working to resolve an issue with one of Voyager 1's three onboard computers, called the flight data system (FDS).&nbsp;

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The FDS collects data from the science instruments and works on compiling information into a data package when it works properly. It also tells about the health and status of the spacecraft.&nbsp;

The data is then transmitted back to Earth using the telecommunications unit (TMU) once compiled.&nbsp;

The spacecraft was apparently receiving and executing commands sent from Earth. However, the FDS is not communicating properly with one of the probes TMU.&nbsp;

Hence, data was reaching Earth.&nbsp;

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NASA said that the data was&nbsp;in the form of ones and zeros (or binary code). But scientists might finally make sense of the gibberish data.&nbsp;

This happened after a computer onboard the Voyager called the FDS after being asked about it in a coded message and sent in March in the form of a poke command. The spacecraft revealed the issue.&nbsp;

After analysing the data which was a software readout, scientists have found out that three per cent of its memory is corrupted.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;How does Aditya-L1 spacecraft create an artificial solar eclipse?

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The report revealed scientists were unable to fix the issue as they were unaware, hence, turning the FDS on and off also didn't help last year in November.&nbsp;

"The team is analysing the readout. Using that information to devise a potential solution and attempt to put it into action will take time," NASA said in a statement.&nbsp;

(With inputs from&nbsp;agencies)&nbsp;

Scientists have finally found out what's happening to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s pioneering Voyager 1 spacecraft, and what's behind the gibberish sounds coming from it in November.

Scientists have finally found out what's happening to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s pioneering Voyager 1 spacecraft, and what's behind the gibberish sounds coming from it in November. NASA launched the space probe Voyager 1 in 1977 to study the outer Solar System, the interstellar space beyond the Sun's heliosphere. Voyager 1, which is the most distant spacecraft to Earth, has been acting weird and talking gibberish on the interplanetary "radio". It has left the scientists perplexed. NASA previously said that the engineers and other experts were working to resolve an issue with one of Voyager 1's three onboard computers, called the flight data system (FDS). Also read: NASA spots 'mysterious' silver object orbiting the Moon - see pics The FDS collects data from the science instruments and works on compiling information into a data package when it works properly. It also tells about the health and status of the spacecraft. The data is then transmitted back to Earth using the telecommunications unit (TMU) once compiled. The spacecraft was apparently receiving and executing commands sent from Earth. However, the FDS is not communicating properly with one of the probes TMU. Hence, data was reaching Earth. Also read: Moon once 'literally turned itself inside out'. Scientists wonder 'how' NASA said that the data was in the form of ones and zeros (or binary code). But scientists might finally make sense of the gibberish data. This happened after a computer onboard the Voyager called the FDS after being asked about it in a coded message and sent in March in the form of a poke command. The spacecraft revealed the issue. After analysing the data which was a software readout, scientists have found out that three per cent of its memory is corrupted. Watch: How does Aditya-L1 spacecraft create an artificial solar eclipse? × The report revealed scientists were unable to fix the issue as they were unaware, hence, turning the FDS on and off also didn't help last year in November. "The team is analysing the readout. Using that information to devise a potential solution and attempt to put it into action will take time," NASA said in a statement. (With inputs from agencies)

Voyager 1: Scientists finally know reason behind glitchy sound coming from space

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Voyager 1 ends 'radio silence' thanks to NASA's software repair 15 billion miles away from Earth

Voyager 1: Scientists finally know reason behind glitchy sound coming from space