Components

The main components or parts of the spacecraft include:

•  High Gain Antennae

•  Bus

•  Sensor

•  Thruster

•  Radioisotope Thermoeliectric Generators

High Gain Antenna (HGA)

The HGA transmits data to Earth on two frequency channels. The X band channel and the S band channel.

Bus

The bus is the body or the basic structure of the spacecraft. It contains compartments for electronic circuits, and carries the various subsystems and scientific instruments

Sensor

The sensor is used to view the Sun through a hole in the antenna. Similar instruments that are present on the side of the spacecraft view star Canopus . By managing the Voyager to keep the Sun and Canopus in sight of these sensors, the direction of the spacecraft is fixed and the antenna points toward Earth.

Thrusters

There are 16 thrusters or small rockets, which are distributed around the spacecraft. The decomposition of hydrazine supplies power to the thrusters. These help in either changing the orientation of the spacecraft or its velocity.

Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators

There are three Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs). These supply electric power to the spacecraft.

To carry out research operations the spacecraft is equipped with some instruments. Let us have a look at these instruments and their functions.