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The Little Spacecraft That Could

hank
edited July 2018 in Off-Topic
In 1977 NASA launched a pair of spacecraft to explore the outer solar system and beyond. Forty years later they continue to send back information. They are now the most distant objects ever created by man. Your smartphone dwarfs them in computing power.

Line that really kills me: “Think of that. We have actually sent a message, which will be in orbit in the Milky Way galaxy essentially forever, even after the sun and the earth no longer exist in their current state.”

First aired November 2017. CBS ran it again this past Sunday. A great 13 minutes which kinda puts everything else into perspective. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/60-minutes-the-little-spacecraft-that-could/

Comments

  • MarkMark
    Just fascinating! I love this stuff.
  • CrashCrash
    I read it. Couldn't get the video to go. This stuff engrosses me. Fascinating.
  • rforno

    As a longtime space/aviation buff (and former pilot) I love this stuff, too.

    BTW a great movie is out called 'Mission Control' (2017) -- I saw it on Amazon last night. It profiles the mission control organization during the Apollo era and includes interviews from several of the staff, flight directors, and controllers. There were some portions that brought a tear to my eye thinking back on what these folks did and how far they brought humankind .... versus where we are nowdays regarding manned spaceflight.
  • CrashCrash
    +1.
  • hank
    edited July 2018
    Seems like just yesterday we all stared in amazement at those first photos of the outer planets. Active volcanoes on a distant moon? Downright stunning at the time. At last check, it was taking 19 hours for Voyager I ‘s radio signals (traveling at the speed of light) to be received down here on Earth.

    If not already aware, a background in science is no longer necessary for the top job at NASA.

    (working link) https://slate.com/technology/2018/01/this-is-the-first-time-in-history-the-nasa-administrator-has-been-politically-polarized.html

    (more recent link but may / may not work) https://www.vox.com/2018/4/18/17253560/nasa-administrator-jim-bridenstine-confirmation
  • MarkMark
    Just when you thought the current reality couldn't get any goofier. (Hopefully you didn't really think that).
  • hank
    edited July 2018
    Mark said:

    Just when you thought the current reality couldn't get any goofier. (Hopefully you didn't really think that).

    Right @Mark. Not to beat this one to death - but I watch quite a bit of NASA programming and new Administrator Bridenstine does not inspire confidence. He likes, like most politicians, to be in front of the camera. Very lackluster and poorly informed. Hard to imagine bright young minds wanting to go work there.

  • VintageFreakVintageFreak
    The question to ask is what if you told the folks who created that spacecraft some day we will hold more computing power than you can imagine in the palm of your hand? What would have been their response? I don't think it would have been "Effbook Pimp". This is what we have done with that computing power.
  • Old_JoeOld_Joe
    "Very lackluster and poorly informed."

    In the very image of our Dear Leader.
  • hank
    edited July 2018
    Old_Joe said:

    "Very lackluster and poorly informed."

    In the very image of our Dear Leader.

    LOL - That’s in the eye of the beholder. Some see what I do not. However, if you want to draw parallels, I think the line about “Hard to imagine bright young minds wanting to work there“ does fit as evidenced by the revolving door of appointees / departures and the current cast.

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