In the realm of space exploration, communication is key. As spacecraft venture further into the unknown, maintaining a reliable line of communication becomes increasingly critical. Recently, a significant milestone was achieved at the Deep Space Network (DSN) complex in Madrid, where all six antennas conducted a test to prepare for ongoing communication with Voyager 1 as it ventures deeper into interstellar space. A Historic First On April 20, 2024, in a historic first, all six radio frequency antennas at the Madrid Deep Space Communication Complex , part of NASA’s DSN, carried out a test to receive data from the agency’s Voyager 1 spacecraft simultaneously. This process, known as “arraying,” allows the DSN to collect very faint signals from faraway spacecraft. The Challenge of Distance Voyager 1 is over 15 billion miles (24 billion kilometers) away, making its signal on Earth far fainter than any other spacecraft with which the DSN communicates. It currently takes Voya...