Voyager 1: The Autonomous Explorer of Deep Space

This approach provides useful strategies for future missions in low-energy environments, like the outer solar system or interstellar space, emphasizing the importance of conserving power to sustain operations over time. Besides, the conditions of space, including cosmic radiation and temperature extremes, can wear down equipment over time. Yet the spacecraft's instruments and systems have continued to function, providing valuable data for decades. it has also demonstrated autonomy in deep space missions. Since passing Saturn, it has operated mostly independently due to the lengthy communication delay. Its ability to detect issues and make adjustments without commands from Earth is crucial for missions in remote areas where real-time control is impractical. Moreover, its continuous data collection from interstellar space has given scientists their first direct measurements of the interstellar medium, including data on cosmic rays, magnetic fields, and particle densities.