Entertainment
Voyager 1 Sends Signal To Earth In Amazing Transmitter Recovery
By Becca Lewis
| Published
In an amazing recovery, Voyager 1 phoned home using its backup radio for the first time since 1981. The interstellar craft went into a power-saving protective mode on October 16, following a command from NASA’s Deep Space Network to turn on one of its heaters. When Voyager didn’t respond, measures were taken to salvage communication with one of only two spacecraft to breach our solar system and explore space beyond our home system.
Lost Contact With Voyager-1
The Voyager mission’s flight team was alerted to the problem when the signal they sent through NASA’s system of deep space antennas failed to yield the desired result from Voyager. At first, the team feared that they had lost contact with the research vessel, but they discovered that Voyager had switched on its lower-powered S-band radio. The primary, X-band radio seems to have automatically shut off as a part of Voyager’s fault protection system it uses to prevent power supply issues.
Once communication was restored, scientists began attempting to determine the cause for Voyager 1’s switch. Once they realized that the X-band radio was causing Voyager 1 to trigger its fault protection system, the flight team was hesitant to send a signal to it using that radio for fear that it could damage the craft. The S-band radio isn’t as powerful as the X-band primary radio, but the team was able to send a command via the backup for now.
Voyager-1 Could Be Damaged
In the run-up to the cut-off of the primary radio aboard Voyager 1, it is believed that the fault protection system was triggered twice. Although it is believed that Voyager 1 has more than sufficient power to use its X-band radio, the shutdown suggests that there could be damage to the craft. Over the next few weeks, researchers will delve into the data to try and find the source of the fault and restore Voyager 1 to full communication with Earth from interstellar space.
Voyager 1’s communication system had a separate problem earlier this year causing garbled nonsense to be transmitted instead of translatable data. The glitch was caused by a corrupted section of the Voyager 1 control computer, and the flight team was able to engineer an incredible workaround to salvage Voyager 1’s computer remotely, restoring communication with the vessel. The fix took engineers several days to complete, as the delay in signal between Voyager 1 and Earth was almost two full days.
Decades Exploring Deep Space
Both Voyager 1 and 2 were launched from Earth in 1977, and they reached interstellar space with Voyager 1 leaving our solar system first in 2012 and Voyager 2 following closely behind in 2016. The two craft are the only ones ever to be sent beyond the confines of our solar system and are still collecting valuable data 43 years after their launch. The Voyager interstellar mission remains humanity’s only communication device in interstellar space, sending data back to Earth from more than 15 million miles away.
Although Voyager is still an important mission for interstellar research, its advanced age is beginning to cause signs of wear. Space is an unforgiving environment, and Voyager 1 has been out there for 43 years. While communication issues have been a repeated problem for the flight team, hopes are that the craft will continue to transmit, giving humanity insight into the vast, cosmic environment in which our tiny galaxy resides.
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?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
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
