I have so many questions about what just happened with Voyager 2. But let's review:

On August 20, 1977, Voyager 2 was launched from Earth.

In December 1977, it entered the asteroid belt.

In June 1978, its main radio receiver failed. Since then it's been using the backup receiver!

On July 9, 1979, it flew past many of Jupiter's moons, made its closest approach to Jupiter, and took tons of beautiful pictures.

On August 26, 1981 it shot past Saturn and took tons of beautiful pictures.

On August 25, 1989 it shot past Neptune and took tons of beautiful pictures.

On November 5, 2018 it crossed the heliopause and entered interstellar space, 120 times farther from the Sun than we are.

On July 18, 2023, it overtook Pioneer 10 and became the second farthest man-made object from the Sun.

3 days later, some idiot sent a command that pointed its high gain antenna 2 degrees away from Earth. HOW EXACTLY DID THIS HAPPEN?

On August 4, 2023, NASA used its most high-powered transmitter to successfully command Voyager 2 to reorient towards Earth, resuming communications. HOW WAS THAT POSSIBLE?

Voyager 2 is now 133 AU away. How can you "shout" across such a distance and attract the attention of someone who is not looking in your direction? That's very far. It takes light about 18 hours to travel that far.

@johncarlosbaez I can’t find the reference any more, but I read in a news story that the erroneous command was an earlier, correct command resent by mistake — i.e. some set of past instructions that were useful at the time they were first sent, but were accidentally sent again rather than a suitably updated version.

@gregeganSF - Very interesting! I find it annoying, though not shocking, that all the official NASA communications that I've seen about this so far are quiet about the details of what happened. E.g.:

"A series of planned commands sent to NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft July 21 inadvertently caused the antenna to point 2 degrees away from Earth. As a result, Voyager 2 is currently unable to receive commands or transmit data back to Earth."

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-mission-update-voyager-2-communications-pause

NASA Mission Update: Voyager 2 Communications Pause

Once the spacecraft’s antenna is realigned with Earth, communications should resume.

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
@johncarlosbaez @gregeganSF No, the"other" left

@MaggieCi @johncarlosbaez @gregeganSF

"You say you once steered a boat?"