The Voyagers

Message boards : Science (non-SETI) : The Voyagers

Author	Message
Nick Send message Joined: 11 Oct 11 Posts: 2664 Credit: 1,502,016 RAC: 1,270	Message 1281894 - Posted: 9 Sep 2012, 13:47:54 UTC
	I still feel that once we achieve the ability to travel through space at or near the speed of light then Voyager travelling through space with a human message attached will be viewed as that similar to placing a message in a bottle and throwing it over-board from a sailing ship. With this view in mind I strongly feel that we will one day recover the Voyagers and bring them back home to rest. ____________ The Kite Fliers -------------------- Kite fliers: An imaginary club of solo members, those who don't yet belong to a formal team so "fly their own kites" - as the saying goes.
	ID: 1281894 · Reply Quote

skildude Send message Joined: 4 Oct 00 Posts: 8940 Credit: 36,378,751 RAC: 55,973	Message 1281925 - Posted: 9 Sep 2012, 15:39:55 UTC - in response to Message 1281894. Last modified: 9 Sep 2012, 15:40:56 UTC
	I fear for the future humans. When V'ger returns its going to be pissed ____________ Proud member of TSWB. End terrorism by building a school
	ID: 1281925 · Reply Quote

Lynn Send message Joined: 20 Nov 00 Posts: 567 Credit: 195,942 RAC: 160	Message 1282063 - Posted: 9 Sep 2012, 22:39:27 UTC - in response to Message 1281886.
	From the film Cocoon. I'd go with them .... So would I...in a heartbeat.
	ID: 1282063 · Reply Quote

Lynn Send message Joined: 20 Nov 00 Posts: 567 Credit: 195,942 RAC: 160	Message 1282064 - Posted: 9 Sep 2012, 22:41:38 UTC - in response to Message 1282063.
	You Tube: The Voyagers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFnJzyxd78o&feature=player_embedded
	ID: 1282064 · Reply Quote

Lynn Send message Joined: 20 Nov 00 Posts: 567 Credit: 195,942 RAC: 160	Message 1297790 - Posted: 22 Oct 2012, 4:18:14 UTC - in response to Message 1282064.
	One would think that with all the music, languages, that are sent, by Voyager 1, and 2, we should have had some contact. Then again, not sure if I... want contact. Could be a little scary. Voyager: the space explorers that are still boldly going to the stars
	ID: 1297790 · Reply Quote

William Rothamel Send message Joined: 25 Oct 06 Posts: 2122 Credit: 1,087,752 RAC: 170	Message 1297831 - Posted: 22 Oct 2012, 10:20:34 UTC - in response to Message 1297790.
	One would think that with all the music, languages, that are sent, by Voyager 1, and 2, we should have had some contact. Then again, not sure if I... want contact. Could be a little scary. The spacecrafts would have to be physically intercepted by intelligent beings to get to the languages--do you think that they might understand,say, Urdu as opposed to Italian. Since it would be about 75000 years until it travels far enough to reach even the nearest star, I wouldn't hold my breath. Unless you posit that there are these creatures cruising around looking for our space probes then you can realize that none of us will be around if anyone maybe 30,000 light years away happens to find what is left of these craft.
	ID: 1297831 · Reply Quote

Lynn Send message Joined: 20 Nov 00 Posts: 567 Credit: 195,942 RAC: 160	Message 1298138 - Posted: 23 Oct 2012, 5:57:14 UTC - in response to Message 1297831.
	One would think that with all the music, languages, that are sent, by Voyager 1, and 2, we should have had some contact. Then again, not sure if I... want contact. Could be a little scary. The spacecrafts would have to be physically intercepted by intelligent beings to get to the languages--do you think that they might understand,say, Urdu as opposed to Italian. Since it would be about 75000 years until it travels far enough to reach even the nearest star, I wouldn't hold my breath. Unless you posit that there are these creatures cruising around looking for our space probes then you can realize that none of us will be around if anyone maybe 30,000 light years away happens to find what is left of these craft. Just saying : Intelligent beings, if they are out there, would/should know we are around. Even in our own galaxy, there is an abundance full of planet's, stars. Except for the "WoW Signal", Wow!_Signal All the computers sending signals, no one is calling home. I don't think there is a need for camera's. The music alone is enough. So are the voyagers, just for entertainment?? The maths that made Voyager possible Today, 35 years after leaving Earth, Voyager 1 is 18.4 billion km (11.4 billion miles) from Earth and about to cross over the boundary marking the extent of the Sun's influence, where the solar wind meets interstellar space. Sometime in the next five years, it will likely break through this so called "bowshock" and head out into the galaxy beyond. Its twin, Voyager 2, having flown past all the outer giant planets, should pass over into interstellar not long after.
	ID: 1298138 · Reply Quote

Chris S Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 19 Nov 00 Posts: 22614 Credit: 4,497,695 RAC: 6,015	Message 1298172 - Posted: 23 Oct 2012, 11:17:51 UTC
	Brilliant stuff. Amended link below. Voyager Maths
	ID: 1298172 · Reply Quote

Bob DeWoody Send message Joined: 9 May 10 Posts: 656 Credit: 61,896 RAC: 94	Message 1299287 - Posted: 27 Oct 2012, 8:22:22 UTC
	I think the music included is our best hope for someday making friendly first contact. Somehow I think music is mankinds greatest artistic achievement. ____________ Bob DeWoody
	ID: 1299287 · Reply Quote

tullio Send message Joined: 9 Apr 04 Posts: 2890 Credit: 257,781 RAC: 260	Message 1299329 - Posted: 27 Oct 2012, 10:32:32 UTC - in response to Message 1299287.
	Not only artistic: Music is mathematics for the soul Mathematics is music for the soul Hence mathematics and music commute, hence they form an Abelian algebra. Tullio ____________
	ID: 1299329 · Reply Quote

tullio Send message Joined: 9 Apr 04 Posts: 2890 Credit: 257,781 RAC: 260	Message 1302733 - Posted: 6 Nov 2012, 4:53:11 UTC
	Last night I saw a beautiful presentation of the Voyager project by prof. Stone who was its director for many years. It was streamed from the CERN site in Geneva. Tonight (8 pm CEST) there shall be another one on the ISS. Tullio ____________
	ID: 1302733 · Reply Quote

Lynn Send message Joined: 20 Nov 00 Posts: 567 Credit: 195,942 RAC: 160	Message 1311370 - Posted: 5 Dec 2012, 18:38:03 UTC - in response to Message 1302733.
	Voyager 1 finds a surprise at the edge of the solar system 11 billion miles out, Voyager 1 nears interstellar space Data from NASA's Voyager 1 probe indicates the spacecraft has moved into an unexpected region of the outer solar system, possibly the last hurdle before crossing into interstellar space. ************************ The universe wastes nothing, it's simply transferred.
	ID: 1311370 · Reply Quote

Nick Send message Joined: 11 Oct 11 Posts: 2664 Credit: 1,502,016 RAC: 1,270	Message 1313623 - Posted: 10 Dec 2012, 18:29:25 UTC - in response to Message 1311370.
	Voyager 1 finds a surprise at the edge of the solar system 11 billion miles out, Voyager 1 nears interstellar space Data from NASA's Voyager 1 probe indicates the spacecraft has moved into an unexpected region of the outer solar system, possibly the last hurdle before crossing into interstellar space. ********************** The universe wastes nothing, it's simply transferred. I wonder how the two Voyagers are faring structurally, internally and externally, at the moment? ____________ The Kite Fliers** -------------------- Kite fliers: An imaginary club of solo members, those who don't yet belong to a formal team so "fly their own kites" - as the saying goes.
	ID: 1313623 · Reply Quote

ML1 Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 25 Nov 01 Posts: 7109 Credit: 3,680,987 RAC: 960	Message 1313680 - Posted: 10 Dec 2012, 20:18:54 UTC - in response to Message 1313623.
	I wonder how the two Voyagers are faring structurally, internally and externally, at the moment? Very cold and hanging on with only a meager glimmer of power. Recently, they have been switched over to use their previously unused backup attitude thrusters so that some fuel line heaters to the primary thrusters could be switched off to conserve the available electrical power. Those fuel lines can now be expected to have frozen unusable. The thrusters are typically used twice a year to reorient the Voyagers to point their high gain dish to follow Earth's orbit. Other maneuvers are made on occasion to reorient the spacecraft for the sensors to sample a different view. And NASA are so frugal with the fuel, assuming nothing too much freezes, they should be able to keep with that regime for very many years yet. Operating the scientific instruments is a juggle of what must be switched off before something else is switched on. Also, some instruments are a long way below their designed-for operating range... I'm sure great care is being taken to maintain and confirm calibration! And all that is orchestrated over a Morse code speed datalink that needs the largest DSN dishes available, with a round-trip time of about a day! Unfortunately, there is a lot of pressure to abandon the Voyagers due to the inordinate amount of DSN time needed to keep them running and reporting... And all on the old frozen compute power of a child's calculator! Anyone like to correct/comment? Fabulous stuff! Keep searchin', Martin DSN: Deep Space Network (radio dishes) ____________ Mandriva Linux A user friendly OS! See new freedom Mageia2 The Future is what We make IT (GPLv3)
	ID: 1313680 · Reply Quote

Zapped Sparky Volunteer moderator Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 30 Aug 08 Posts: 2207 Credit: 626,157 RAC: 955	Message 1313702 - Posted: 10 Dec 2012, 21:21:16 UTC
	Current roundtrip light time from the sun for the Voyagers: Voyager 1: 34h 14m 29s Voyager 2: 28h 00m 21s Source. ____________ In an alternate universe, it was a ZX81 that asked for clothes, boots and motorcycle. Beer/wine o'clock, the best of the o'clocks. Humpty dumpty sat on a wall, along came a giant, and cooked him for breakfast.
	ID: 1313702 · Reply Quote

Bernie Vine Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 26 May 99 Posts: 5657 Credit: 14,065,829 RAC: 50,327	Message 1313760 - Posted: 10 Dec 2012, 23:27:31 UTC
	Unfortunately, there is a lot of pressure to abandon the Voyagers due to the inordinate amount of DSN time needed to keep them running and reporting... That is sad, but I wonder if there are many of "Joe public" that even know the Voyagers exist! It is no longer "sexy science" Nothing "newsworthy" is likely to happen so it will just "fade away". When I was young I expected to see colonies on the Moon and perhaps even Mars by now. I am now 61 and I don't believe we will ever be a "space faring" race. ____________
	ID: 1313760 · Reply Quote

Nick Send message Joined: 11 Oct 11 Posts: 2664 Credit: 1,502,016 RAC: 1,270	Message 1313888 - Posted: 11 Dec 2012, 8:40:15 UTC - in response to Message 1313680.
	I wonder how the two Voyagers are faring structurally, internally and externally, at the moment? Very cold and hanging on with only a meager glimmer of power. Recently, they have been switched over to use their previously unused backup attitude thrusters so that some fuel line heaters to the primary thrusters could be switched off to conserve the available electrical power. Those fuel lines can now be expected to have frozen unusable. The thrusters are typically used twice a year to reorient the Voyagers to point their high gain dish to follow Earth's orbit. Other maneuvers are made on occasion to reorient the spacecraft for the sensors to sample a different view. And NASA are so frugal with the fuel, assuming nothing too much freezes, they should be able to keep with that regime for very many years yet. Operating the scientific instruments is a juggle of what must be switched off before something else is switched on. Also, some instruments are a long way below their designed-for operating range... I'm sure great care is being taken to maintain and confirm calibration! And all that is orchestrated over a Morse code speed datalink that needs the largest DSN dishes available, with a round-trip time of about a day! Unfortunately, there is a lot of pressure to abandon the Voyagers due to the inordinate amount of DSN time needed to keep them running and reporting... And all on the old frozen compute power of a child's calculator! Anyone like to correct/comment? Fabulous stuff! Keep searchin', Martin DSN: Deep Space Network (radio dishes) Yarrrrrr, fabulous stuff Martin. If they should decide to abandon the voyagers then I would suggest they attempt to send them back our way. Could retrieve them in years to come giving us a chance to study how they faired over all this time. ____________ The Kite Fliers -------------------- Kite fliers: An imaginary club of solo members, those who don't yet belong to a formal team so "fly their own kites" - as the saying goes.
	ID: 1313888 · Reply Quote

ML1 Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 25 Nov 01 Posts: 7109 Credit: 3,680,987 RAC: 960	Message 1314060 - Posted: 11 Dec 2012, 23:55:38 UTC - in response to Message 1313888.
	Yarrrrrr, fabulous stuff Martin. If they should decide to abandon the voyagers then I would suggest they attempt to send them back our way. Could retrieve them in years to come giving us a chance to study how they faired over all this time. No can do... They do not have enough fuel to reverse their flight. They are well above escape velocity for our solar system and so are headed out forever into the vastness of space. There's various estimates of how long the gold "Carl Sagan" disks on them announcing our existence might survive. Regardless, those bits of gold are a fantastic vanity project and some very effective far reaching public outreach! Keep searchin', Martin ____________ Mandriva Linux A user friendly OS! See new freedom Mageia2 The Future is what We make IT (GPLv3)
	ID: 1314060 · Reply Quote

Chris S Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 19 Nov 00 Posts: 22614 Credit: 4,497,695 RAC: 6,015	Message 1314239 - Posted: 12 Dec 2012, 12:47:06 UTC
	Unfortunately, there is a lot of pressure to abandon the Voyagers due to the inordinate amount of DSN time needed to keep them running and reporting... The Voyagers are just about the most important scientific experiment that mankind has ever done. Of course they should be kept going. No point at all in bringing them back, even if we could, which we can't. We knew we would lose transmission contact with them at some point in their lifespan, that was always known. But the whole point of the Voyagers was to be a message from Earth to any other civilisations that might be out there. They will still be our ambassadors for millennia to come even when we have finally lost contact with them.
	ID: 1314239 · Reply Quote

Previous · 1 · 2 · 3 · Next
Post to thread

Message boards : Science (non-SETI) : The Voyagers