NASA’s twin Voyager probes, which launched in 1977, are the longest-running missions to send data home. But as their power supplies wane, scientists are saying goodbye to one instrument on each spacec

NASA engineers are turning off two instruments on Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 to ensure these twin spacecraft can continue exploring interstellar space.

The twin probes should operate for about a year before the team is forced to shut off yet more instruments. The Voyager spacecraft have been cruising through interstellar space for more than 47 years,

The Voyager probes are each turning off an instrument to avoid ending their 47-year-long missions later this year.

NASA is switching off two science instruments on its twin Voyager spacecraft to save power. The space agency said Wednesday an instrument on Voyager 2 that measures charged particles and cosmic rays will shut off later this month.

NASA is shutting down instruments on the Voyager spacecraft, humanity's farthest explorers, allowing them to continue sending invaluable data from interstellar space, despite dwindling power.

The 50th birthday is a must, but the Voyager probes should ideally continue to work into the 2030s. To achieve this, however, electricity must be saved.

Currently, Voyager 1 is over 15 billion miles away (25 billion kilometers), and Voyager 2 is over 13 billion miles away (21 billion kilometers). The twin explorers carry a suite of scientific instruments to gather invaluable data about the interstellar medium.