[UCANSEE2]

I think I read somewhere the probe was operating at like 8 watts of power, and sent the pictures 3 billion miles. You know... I guess I’m wearing tin foil.... but something about that seems far fetched.

Space is pretty empty, and it doesn't take much power to send a signal really, really far. Satellites receive the signal and use higher power transmitters to send it on to Earth. It's Earth's atmosphere which it harder to get 'through'.

[mwilli20]

It’s generally advisable to do a bit of research before you post something.

The probe has a power supply of around 200 watts. Its radio transmitter puts out about 10 watts. Finally the signal is received on Earth by a network of radio telescopes called the NASA Deep Space Network.