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Voyager 1 Resumes Data Transmission to Earth After Months!

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Voyager 1 as it travels through interstellar space
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For the first time in five months, engineers realm team NASA have received decipherable data from Voyager 1 after crafting a creative solution to fix a communication problem aboard humanity’s most distant spacecraft in the cosmos.

Voyager 1 is currently about 15 billion miles (24 billion kilometers) away, and at 46 years old, the probe has shown multiple quirks and signs of aging in recent years. The latest issue experienced by Voyager 1 first cropped up in November 2023, when the flight data system’s telemetry modulation unit began sending an indecipherable repeating pattern of code.

Voyager 1’s flight data system collects information from the spacecraft’s science instruments and bundles it with engineering data that reflects its current health status. Mission control on Earth receives that data in binary code, or a series of ones and zeroes.

Voyager 1 send images to the Earth

But since November, Voyager 1’s flight data system had been stuck in a loop. While the probe has continued to relay a steady radio signal to its mission control team on Earth over the past few months, the signal did not carry any usable data.

The mission team received the first coherent data about the health and status of Voyager 1’s engineering systems on April 20. While the team is still reviewing the information, everything they’ve seen so far suggests Voyager 1 is healthy and operating properly.

“Today was a great day for Voyager 1,” said Linda Spilker, Voyager project scientist at JPL, in a statement Saturday. “We’re back in communication with the spacecraft. And we look forward to getting science data back.”

The breakthrough came as the result of a clever bit of trial and error and the unraveling of a mystery that led the team to a single chip.

Voyager 1 Troubleshooting from billions of miles away

After discovering the issue, the mission team attempted sending commands to restart the spacecraft’s computer system and learn more about the underlying cause of the problem.

The team sent a command called a “poke” to Voyager 1 on March 1 to get the flight data system to run different software sequences in the hopes of finding out what was causing the glitch.

On March 3, the team noticed that activity from one part of the flight data system stood out from the rest of the garbled data. While the signal wasn’t in the format the Voyager team is used to seeing when the flight data system is functioning as expected, an engineer with NASA’s Deep Space Network was able to decode it. “NASA discovers city lights

Space networks NASA

The Deep Space Network is a system of radio antennae on Earth that help the agency communicate with the Voyager probes and other spacecraft exploring our solar system.

The decoded signal included a readout of the entire flight data system’s memory.

By investigating the readout, the team determined the cause of the issue: 3% of the flight data system’s memory is corrupted. A single chip responsible for storing part of the system’s memory, including some of the computer’s software code, isn’t working properly. While the cause of the chip’s failure is unknown, it could be worn out or may have been hit by an energetic particle from space, the team said.

The loss of the code on the chip caused Voyager 1’s science and engineering data to be unusable.

Since there was no way to repair the chip, the team opted to store the affected code from the chip elsewhere in the system’s memory. While they couldn’t pinpoint a location large enough to hold all of the code, they were able to divide the code into sections and store it in different spots within the flight datasystem.

NASA center

“To make this plan work, they also needed to adjust those code sections to ensure, for example, that they all still function as a whole,” according to an update from NASA. “Any references to the location of that code in other parts of the (flight data system) memory needed to be updated as well.”

After determining the code necessary for packaging Voyager 1’s engineering data, engineers sent a radio signal to the probe commanding the code to a new location in the system’s memory on April 18.

Given Voyager 1’s immense distance from Earth, it takes a radio signal about 22.5 hours to reach the probe, and another 22.5 hours for a response signal from the spacecraft to reach Earth.

On April 20, the team received Voyager 1’s response indicating that the clever code modification had worked, and they could finally receive readable engineering data from the probe once more.

Exploring interstellar space

Within the coming weeks, the team will continue to relocate other affected parts of the system’s software, including those responsible for returning the valuable science data Voyager 1 is collecting.

Nasa Centre

Initially designed to last five years, the Voyager 1 and its twin, Voyager 2, launched in 1977 and are the longest operating spacecraft in history. Their exceptionally long life spans mean that both spacecraft have provided additional insights about our solar system and beyond after achieving their preliminary goals of flying by Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune decades ago.

The probes are currently venturing through uncharted cosmic territory along the outer reaches of the solar system. Both are in interstellar space and are the only spacecraft ever to operate beyond the heliosphere, the sun’s bubble of magnetic fields and particles that extends well beyond the orbit of Pluto.

Voyager 2, which is operating normally, has traveled more than 12.6 billion miles (20.3 billion kilometers) from our planet. ‘NASA learns the ugly truth about ufos”

Over time, both spacecraft have encountered unexpected issues and dropouts, including a seven-month period in 2020 when Voyager 2 couldn’t communicate with Earth. In August 2023, the mission team used a long-shot “shout” technique to restore communications with Voyager 2 after a command inadvertently oriented the spacecraft’s antenna in the wrong direction.

Members of the Voyager flight team celebrate after receiving the first coherent data from Voyager 1 in five months at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory on April 20.

The team estimates it’s a few weeks away from receiving science data from Voyager 1 and looks forward to seeing what that data contains.

“We never know for sure what’s going to happen with the Voyagers, but it constantly amazes me when they just keep going,” said Voyager Project Manager Suzanne Dodd, in a statement. “We’ve had many anomalies, and they are getting harder. But we’ve been fortunate so far to recover from them. And the mission keeps going. And younger engineers are coming onto the Voyager team and contributing their knowledge to keep the mission going.”

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Severe Storms and Widespread Flooding Threaten Region 8

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Severe Storms & Flooding Threaten Northeast Arkansas

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K8 Storm Team is tracking a severe weather threat that could affect Northeast Arkansas and Southeast Missouri. The threat of that happening on Thursday, though, is forecast to be much less damaging than what Region 8 saw Wednesday, as meteorologists warn of a medium-level threat for residents in parts of Region 8’s southern counties. Schools, houses and businesses have already reported damage from previous storms and the incoming weather pattern has them concerned about more severe conditions.

The storm — which hit in the night — caused damage and toppling trees across many school districts in Northeast Arkansas, which canceled classes on Thursday. Residents have been warned to stay aware of weather warnings and prepare for potential emergency services. In addition to the threat of severe storms, the region is also in danger of widespread flooding from several inches of rainfall over the coming days.

The rain, once it begins to fall on Wednesday, is likely to continue through Sunday, said Kristina Balentine, a meteorologist with the weather service. They expect between 6 to 12 inches of rain to fall across Region 8, which could cause flooding. Such a significant amount of rain falling in such a short stint of time raises the risk of high water for rivers and low-lying spaces.

According to the National Weather Service offices in Little Rock and Memphis, River Flood Warnings and a ‘Particularly Dangerous Situation’ Flood Watch have been issued due to the expected torrential rain. These warnings mean the areas near rivers, streams, and other bodies of water may see fast and possibly life-threatening flooding. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has also offered guidance on river levels, predicting a “big jump” in water levels from the expected downpours.

Officials and meteorologists are calling for vigilance and caution among residents. For those in flood-prone areas, evacuation plans should be made, valuables secured and official weather updates monitored. The threat for flooding is especially great because soils across the region are already saturated from earlier rainstorms, making it almost impossible for more water to seep in. Sudden, heavy rain increases the risk of flash flooding, road closures and possibly infrastructure damage.

For the latest weather updates and information to keep safe this winter, K8 Storm Team is with you on air and online. You can see the forecasts on K8 from 4:30 a.m. to 7 a.m. and during the Midday News at 11 a.m. and the evening shows at 5, 6 and 10 p.m. on K8-ABC and K8-NBC.

Residents can also stay up to date with the K8 News mobile app, found of Google Play or the Apple App Store for smartphones and tablets. The app features live updates, weather alerts and important safety instructions. K8 News is also available on streaming devices like Roku, Amazon Firestick and Apple TV so you can get weather in the most timely manner.

The K8 Storm Team urges all of those in the impacted areas to stay alert and prepare accordingly. Continued updates on storm developments and conditions around floods will be made available via the K8 News website, K8 News mobile app, and K8 News YouTube channel. With potentially dangerous weather, keeping watch and prepared can have an impact in keeping Hardin County people and communities safe in Northeast Arkansas and Southeast Missouri.

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Netflix’s New Rom-Com Sparks Breakups, But Its Star Sees the Beauty in It

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Netflix's New Rom-Com Sparks Breakups and Self-Discovery

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Netflix’s new rom-com, The Life List, has been making an unexpected mark on viewers. Rather than simply providing audiences with a feel-good love story, the film has allegedly caused some viewers to reevaluate their own relationships, and in some cases, even end their romantic relationships. The lead actress in the film, Sofia Carson, recently discussed this surprising effect and what she thinks reflects the deeper message of the movie.

And Carson, who has broken through with popular turns in Purple Hearts and Carry-On, embarks on a new kind of journey in The Life List. In the film, she stars as Alex, a woman who must reevaluate her life decisions following the death of her mother, played by Connie Britton. When her mother dies, Alex discovers that she will have to check off a list of goals she wrote at the tender age of 13 before she can receive her inheritance. This range consists of both frivolous and serious experiences, including doing standup, getting a tattoo and camping under a full moon. But it also includes more personal and emotional tasks, like reconciling with her estranged father and finding true love.

As Alex embarks on this journey of self-discovery, a friend encourages her to use a particular set of questions to find out if her romantic partner really is the right match for her. These questions include:

Is he kind?

I can tell him everything about me?

Does he make me the best version of myself?

Can I see him raising my children?

The gravity of these questions forces Alex to assess her current romance, with some major life212 decisions in tow. Apparently, the audiences have had the same reaction.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Carson explained that upon watching the film, several viewers found themselves reflecting on their own lives and posing similar existential questions. Some even chose to leave relationships or jobs that were no longer serving them. Carson, though, takes this as a winning result, as it points to the film’s real message — that people should be trying to be happy and at peace with themselves.

Reactions online have been mostly emotional. Viewers took to streaming sites to express their views, calling it an eye-opener. “The Life List on Netflix just raised my standards,” one user on X (formerly Twitter) wrote. 100/10 movie, the movie is perfect and so eye-opening!! Sofia Carson is that girl ahhhhhh oh.” One confessed, “I cried seven times watching The Life List. This movie that made me think about my future or how I want to choose my future partner and especially the worst relationship with my mother. I love this movie so much going to obsess over it forever.”

Some others said that the film made them take personal growth more seriously. Another fan referred to “#TheLifeList” as “the best movie of Sofia’s career. Her acting is magical. The emotions, the very deep places, the places it touches us to — it makes us think about our life and a lot of times try to be our best selves. I want the person whose answer is yes to the four questions. I need to hug my mom tight.” Another wrote, “I just got done reading The Life List and it was so good. So you want to get some motivation in your life.”

Nor is it common for a romantic comedy to provoke quite the degree of soul-searching from its audience, but The Life List appears to resonate with a nerve. The idea of assessing a relationship by putting it to a list of basic questions is hardly original, but the manner in which the movie approaches it — a warm, funny and deeply emotional narrative — speaks to too many. It’s more than romance; it’s about self-actualization and self-worth.

The conversation grew louder as more people started seeing the film. Some viewers think it raises the bar for romantic comedies by making audiences question their own happiness. Some wonder how the unassuming plot can trigger such intense, visceral responses.

And the film’s success — and thought-provoking nature — could make it one of Netflix’s most discussed original films of the year. While rom-coms are generally designed to be comfort food, The Life List dares viewers to know more about their own lives. Whether that results in more breakups or not, one thing is clear: the film is having an impact in a way few people expected.

If you’re interested in the movie’s impact, reading some recent critic reviews might be a good idea before watching. Whether audiences walk away inspired, emotional, or even questioning their own relationships, The Life List is proving to be more than just another love story—it’s serving as a catalyst for change in real life.

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Cooper Flagg Shines with 30 Points as Duke Defeats Arizona to Reach Elite 8

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Cooper Flagg Drops 30 as Duke Beats Arizona for Elite 8

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Cooper Flagg of Duke put on a show Thursday night and led his team to a 100-93 win over Arizona in this year’s NCAA tournament. The victory sent the Blue Devils to the Elite Eight, one victory away from the Final Four. Flagg capped off with 30 points, six rebounds, seven assists and three blocks, an all-encompassing showing that proved too much for Arizona to handle.

Duke head coach Jon Scheyer called Cooper Flagg’s performance one of the best tournament games that he had ever been a party to. The freshman sensation, having recovered completely from an ankle injury that had forced him to sit out earlier in the month, met the moment, preventing Caleb Love from ruining Duke’s season again. It was love, a long-time Duke antagonist who had helped knock the blue devils out of March sadness in the past.

Arizona for his part put up a hefty 35 points — one shy of his career-high. His offensive explosion featured a stretch where he scored 15 straight points in the second half, trimming what had been a 19-point deficit to just five with less than two minutes remaining in regulation. But it was Duke that emerged with a second straight trip to the next round.

The win sets up a much-anticipated Blue Devils matchup with Alabama in the East Region final. The Crimson Tide, earlier in the evening, set a March Madness record with 25 three-pointers in their 113-88 win over BYU. The next game will be a matchup of a top-seeded Duke team and a scorching-hot group from Alabama with an explosive offense.

A victory would send Duke to the Final Four for the 18th time in program history. The last time they advanced to that round was 2022 when, playing for North Carolina, Love scored 28 points to end the legendary coaching career of Mike Krzyzewski. This time, Love’s heroics weren’t enough to save North Carolina, with Flagg’s leading the way to the victory.

Arizona mounted a strong push in the closing minutes, cutting it to five when Carter Bryant conversion from deep with less than two minutes left to play. But Cooper Flagg made three of four free throws down the stretch, and the Blue Devils as a team hit nine of ten to finish the game and clinch the victory. Scheyer stressed his desire for Flagg to relish the moment instead of deferring to others. In response, the freshman played loose, involved and completely in his element.

Arizona’s defense made Cooper Flagg work for every basket, crowding him whenever he had the ball. Still, he never lost his cool, emerging as the best player on the court. The Wildcats left nothing on the court against Duke, but in the end, the Blue Devils had too many weapons.

For Love, this was the close of a remarkable college career. He missed his first three shots of the game, but then he settled in, making 11 of 21 from the field, five of them 3s. He left the game with seven more points than in the 2022 Final Four, when he was instrumental in knocking out Duke.

Arizona’s Jaden Bradley added 15 points to Love’s effort, but it fell short of an upset. The Wildcats were looking to repeat a similar matchup in 2011 when they faced Duke in the tournament and defeated them when they were once again a top seed. This time, the last laugh belonged to the Blue Devils.

Texas Tech edged Arkansas, 85-83, in another thrilling Sweet 16 game. The Red Raiders mounted a fierce comeback after having trailed by 16 points in the second half. It was Darrion Williams who came through big, hitting the winning basket with just 7.3 seconds remaining in overtime. He had just sent the game into overtime with a clutch three-pointer in the closing seconds of regulation.

The comeback was the second-largest in Sweet 16 history. Arkansas had dominated most of the game, ahead for almost 39 minutes, while Texas Tech had been up for just over three. The Red Raiders advanced into the West Region final, where they will meet top-seeded Florida with an opportunity to reach their second career Final Four.

For the majority of the game, it appeared Texas Tech had no chance of winning. Arkansas had established a 10-point lead early and appeared destined to run. A layup by Johnell Davis with less than five minutes left pushed the Razorbacks to 13 points ahead. But the Red Raiders weren’t going to let up. Christian Anderson hit three big three-pointers and Williams had several big baskets in the final minutes. His most momentous shot came with 9.7 seconds remaining in regulation, when he drilled a long three to knot the game. Arkansas had an opportunity to win in regulation but Jonas Aidoo missed a key free throw and Texas Tech forced overtime.

In overtime, JT Toppin put the Red Raiders in front for the first time since early in the game. The teams exchanged baskets until D.J. Wagner, a leading candidate for next year’s N.B.A. draft, knotted up the score for Arkansas with 34 seconds left. That paved the way for Williams, who powered his way inside for the game-winning bucket. Arkansas got one last chance, but Wagner’s buzzer-beater hit the front rim, and Texas Tech erupted in celebration at midcourt.

There was only disappointment on the face of John Calipari, as the coach walked off the court as his team squandered a huge lead. The defeat sealed a long, heartening season at Arkansas with an unthinkable loss and also stood as an undoing for Anderson as he sought to become the first coach to take four different programs to the Elite Eight. The 16-point blown lead was the largest in any N.C.A.A. tournament game by a Calipari team.

Anderson scored 22 points for Texas Tech, and Toppin and Williams scored 20 apiece. On the Arkansas side, Davis had 30 points, while Karter Knox had 20. The Red Raiders reached the victory without key shooter Chance McMillian, who sat out his fourth consecutive game because of an oblique injury. The defeat was particularly painful for Arkansas, which had just gotten Adou Thiero back from a knee injury that had sidelined him since late February. But Thiero only logged five minutes and was unable to have a significant effect.

Texas Tech will now gear up for a difficult showdown against Florida, and Duke, meanwhile, will turn its attention to a clash with Alabama. The tournament action keeps rolling, as both of these teams look to punch their ticket to the Final Four.

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