Interstellar Probes - Part 4: The probes reach the edge of the Solar System

The farther the probes traveled, the more their triumphs intertwined with vulnerability.Systems designed in the 1960s and 1970s were never meant to be immortal. Thermoelectric generators decayed, their wattage slowly diminishing. Heaters were turned off, instruments were retired, and engineers played a decades-long game of prioritization. In a dim operations room, a group of senior engineers reviewed spreadsheets projecting power consumption for the next five years.Learn more at: https://theexplorationarchive.com/exploration/interstellar-probesThe Exploration Archive is part of The Archive Network by Jonkai Ventures, a collection of podcasts dedicated to exploring the great explorers and voyages that shaped our world.Support the podcast and access exclusive content on Patreon:https://thearchivenetwork.com/supportDiscover more archives and stories:https://thearchivenetwork.comExplore this archive:https://theexplorationarchive.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.