The space probe, Voyager I, launched in 1977, had sent back spectacular images of Jupiter and Saturn and then soared out of the Solar System on a one-way mission to the stars.

Its modular architecture allows modules to be swapped in and out depending on the processor and operating system.

Far from the sun, in the outer solar system, beyond Jupiter's orbit, temperatures are low enough to permit ices to form out of water and out of gases like methane and carbon dioxide.