"

 ""the spacecraft receives routine commands and transmits data back to the Deep Space Network."" - ""the spacecraft communicates with the Deep Space Network to receive routine commands and return data."" might be clearer
 ""spacecraft is in extended mission"" - ""spacecraft is in an extended mission""
 add bit about favourable alignment of planets to reasons for going ahead
 quite a few line breaks - not all necessary (I think)
 Valya Balkanska can be linked, and the song name should be removed so only the composer is given."