NASA remotely patches Voyager 2 to keep science instruments running through 2026

NASA sent a software update 13 billion miles to Voyager 2, powering down non-essential devices and switching to lower-power alternatives to rebalance the probe's dwindling energy budget. The patch keeps all three remaining science instruments running through 2026. Voyager 2's plutonium RTG — which converts heat from radioactive decay into electricity — loses about 4 watts yearly.