Tim Killian wrote:

Research data can not be demonstrated "so valuable" until you have it. So far the Voyagers have discovered the heliopause IIRC - serendipity - would have been missed if the toad of an administrator were in charge then.

The pot of money is not infinite.

If we needed to send a probe to collect the missing data lost if the Voyagers aren't downloaded regularly it would likely cost hundreds of millions to billions, not to mention the decades waiting until the new probe reached where the old probe already is. These NASA guys are short sighted penny wise pound foolish doofusses.