NEW YORK (AP) — NASA is switching off two science instruments on its long-running twin Voyager spacecraft to save power.
The space agency said Wednesday an instrument on Voyager 2 that measures charged particles and cosmic rays will shut off later this month. Last week, NASA powered down an instrument on Voyager 1 designed to study cosmic rays.
The energy-saving moves were necessary to extend their missions, Voyager project manager Suzanne Dodd at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory said in a statement.
The twin spacecraft launched in 1977 and are currently in interstellar space, or the space between stars. Voyager 1 discovered a thin ring around Jupiter and several of Saturn’s moons, and Voyager 2 is the only spacecraft to visit Uranus and Neptune.
Each spacecraft still has three instruments apiece to study the sun's protective bubble and the swath of space beyond.
Voyager 1 is over 15 billion miles (24.14 billion kilometers) from Earth and Voyager 2 is over 13 billion miles (20.92 billion kilometers) away.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
FILE - This photo provided by NASA shows the "Sounds of Earth" record being mounted on the Voyager 2 spacecraft in the Safe-1 Building at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Aug. 4, 1977. (NASA via AP, File)
FILE - This illustration provided by NASA depicts Voyager 1. (NASA via AP, File)
BOSTON (AP) — Alex Tuch and Mattias Samuelsson scored in the first period, Zach Benson added another early in the third and the Sabres beat the Boston Bruins 4-1 on Friday night in Game 6 to advance to the second round of the NHL playoffs for the first time since 2007.
Josh Norris added an empty-netter. Alex Lyon finished with 25 saves.
The 4-2 series victory is the latest milestone for Buffalo, which saw the end of its 14-year playoff drought by capturing its first Atlantic Division title. The 2007 season was also the last time the Sabres advanced to the second round. They lost in the conference finals that year.
“It's one step in the right direction. That's it,” Tuch said.
Buffalo will play the winner of the Montreal-Tampa Bay series in the second round. That series will go to seven games after the Lightning's 1-0 overtime win Friday night in Montreal.
“I think Part A is getting to the playoffs. Part B is trying to have success once you get there,” coach Lindy Ruff said. “We talked about what a challenge it was going to be to try to take out a good team. And Boston's a good team. ... I thought our guys dug in and gave us a heck of a game tonight.”
David Pastrnak scored the lone goal for the Bruins. Jeremy Swayman made 22 stops.
“Buffalo, there's a reason they won the division,” Pastrnak said. "A lot of skill and speed that's over there. Their (defense) is very active. So, yeah, they were better."
Tempers flared with 1:31 to play after Benson tripped Charlie McAvoy. McAvoy responded with a slash at Benson. Both were sent to the penalty box.
It ends a feisty series comeback for the Bruins after earning a playoff berth in their first season under coach Marco Sturm. Boston has lost its last six home playoff games.
Trailing 2-1 in the third, the Bruins picked up their attack and had something working in the Sabres’ zone. But Josh Doan poked the puck away to start a break. He was pursued by Pastrnak and McAvoy toward the corner, when Doan flipped it back to a wide-open Zach Benson, who beat Swayman.
The Sabres’ speed dominated in the early going.
That changed 1:54 into the second period when a Buffalo turnover turned into a 2-on-1 break between Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha. Zacha passed to Pastrnak on the left side, and he fired it in from the faceoff circle to get the Bruins within 2-1. It marked his third goal in the series.
It was part of a second period that saw an increase in physical play that was mostly allowed by the referees. It included a more than nine-minute stretch without a stoppage of play.
The Sabres needed just 3:25 into the first period to open the scoring when Tuch guided in a touch pass in front of the net by Rasmus Dahlin.
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Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon (34) stretches but cannot make a save on a goal by Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak (not shown) during the second period in Game 6 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series, Friday, May 1, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Boston Bruins left wing Tanner Jeannot (84) is upended by Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch (89) during the first period in Game 6 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series, Friday, May 1, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak, center, is congratulated after his goal during the second period in Game 6 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series against the Buffalo Sabres, Friday, May 1, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Buffalo Sabres center Peyton Krebs, front, celebrates after a goal by Mattias Samuelsson during the first period in Game 6 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series against the Boston Bruins, Friday, May 1, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) sits on the ice after giving up a goal to Buffalo Sabres left wing Zach Benson (6) during the third period in Game 6 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series, Friday, May 1, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
