zlacker

>>belter+(OP)
TL;DR:

1. Voyager 2 has been pointing 2 degrees off from Earth

2. Been that way for a while and nobody noticed because very old computers.

3. Meaning that the probe has gone dark (ingress and egress comms are not possible)

4. However, both Voyager probes have software that tells them to routinely calibrate themselves every few months

5. Meaning that it should point at Earth in the next few months (most likely).

>>samhuk+w3
Can we also regain contact through the yearly movement of Earth on its orbit? Like the planet just walking into the new beam position?

>>Qem+F4
No. 2 degrees error at such a large distance equals huge distance error.

Also, empty space is huge and matter-things like Earth and the Sun are tiny compared to it.