Entertainment
NASA Lost Contact With Voyager-1
By Jacob VanGundy
| Published
NASA briefly lost contact with Voyager-1 earlier this month, with communications being restored a few days later. The aging space shuttle has had numerous problems in recent years as it has gotten further from Earth, with the communication error being the latest in a series of problems the team has had to solve to keep the mission going. The exact cause of the problem remains a mystery and raises concerns that the vessel may only remain functional for a little while longer.
What Went Wrong
On October 18 Voyager-1’s signal was lost after a command to turn one of the heaters was sent two days earlier. The command triggered the vessel’s fault protection system, a built-in failsafe that can turn devices on and off to keep the ship functional. The fault protection system disabled the ship’s primary radio, causing the signal to be lost.
It’s unknown why turning the heater on caused Voyager-1’s fault protection system to activate. Power shortages are usually to blame for the system activating, but the ship should have had more than enough energy to run the heaters. The fact that the system was initiated means there’s likely an unknown issue with the unmanned vessel.
Communication Restored
Communication was restored with Voyager-1 on October 24, thanks to the ship’s secondary radio system. Realizing that the main X-band radio may have been deactivated, the flight team began searching for fainter transmissions from its secondary S-band radio. It was uncertain if that weaker radio would function so far from Earth, but the team was able to find the frequency and re-establish communications.
While the Voyager-1’s S-band radio wasn’t designed to function so far from Earth, NASA has opted to keep using it to communicate with the ship for the time being. The flight team is working to figure out what caused the fault protection system to activate before attempting to reactivate the X-band radio to avoid another failure. This marks the first time since 1981 that the ship’s S-band radio has been utilized.
47 Years Of Voyager
Voyager-1 and its sister ship Voyager-2 were launched 47 years ago and both ships have become increasingly difficult to maintain in recent years. Earlier this year the team had to resolve an issue with clogged thrusters from decades of constant use. Scientific devices were also disabled earlier this year in an attempt to conserve energy.
The unmanned vessels are the only human-made devices to reach interstellar space, making them unique and incredibly valuable resources for scientists. Permanently losing contact with Voyager-1 would have been a catastrophe for the NASA team in charge of the mission. While issues with scientific devices and thrusters can impede the mission, a total loss of communication would mark the end of the vessel’s scientific value.
NASA has claimed that they hope to keep both Voyager-1 and its sister functioning and relaying interstellar data back to Earth until at least 2026. The recent transmission loss proves just how much work and luck is required to make that goal a reality. While it’s a relief that communication was re-established, the lost transmission was a stark reminder that the mission’s end is coming.
Source: NASA
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
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Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
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Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
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Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
