• Space/Science
  • GeekSpeak
  • Mysteries of
    the Multiverse
  • Science Fiction
  • The Comestible Zone
  • Off-Topic
  • Community
  • Flame
  • CurrentEvents

Recent posts

All we are saying, is give war a chance BuckGalaxy September 5, 2025 1:30 pm (CurrentEvents)

"Cancel culture" podrock September 3, 2025 8:32 am (CurrentEvents)

He should know better. ER September 1, 2025 8:20 pm (Space/Science)

Clare Torry RobVG August 26, 2025 7:42 pm (Off-Topic)

Lateral Thinking BuckGalaxy August 23, 2025 11:57 am (Off-Topic)

SNW: The Finest Frontier BuckGalaxy August 23, 2025 12:20 am (Science Fiction)

There's more than Floyd RobVG August 20, 2025 12:24 am (Off-Topic)

Existing instrument on Mars Curiosity Rover could be used to detect life BuckGalaxy August 18, 2025 12:48 pm (Space/Science)

Trump grovels BuckGalaxy August 17, 2025 12:43 pm (CurrentEvents)

Alien:Earth RobVG August 16, 2025 1:44 pm (Science Fiction)

"Project Hail Mary" RobVG August 14, 2025 11:12 am (Science Fiction)

The July numbers (Edited 8/13) ER August 11, 2025 3:48 pm (Space/Science)

Home » Off-Topic

Now, Voyager. July 31, 2019 8:54 pm ER

I’ll turn 72 years of age in August. As I’ve mentioned before, I was born in the sweet spot, at a time and a place where I was able to live a fairly prosperous, comfortable and interesting life during a period in history unlike any other, and which we may never see the like of again.

Tonight, I watched a two hour TV special on the Voyager missions, the first time (and maybe the last!) that we sent spacecraft to explore the outer solar system and beyond, into interstellar space. In 2012, one of the Voyagers reported that it had crossed the heliopause, the boundary of the sun’s magnetic field and the interstellar medium. Voyager II is now in an independent orbit around the galactic center.

This happened in my lifetime, and I had the resources to actually watch it happen (on TV) in real time. And most important, I had the education and temperament to fully understand both the event and its significance. We saw men land on the moon 50 years ago, but we also explored the solar system and crossed into interstellar space–all in my lifetime. I can’t think of any other moment in history I would have rather lived in.

Yeah, I hit the sweet spot all right.

  • Have you seen this, ER? by DanS 2019-09-16 07:01:15
    • A few links . . . by DanS 2019-09-16 07:56:39
      • I've never thought we shouldn't explore. by ER 2019-09-16 07:45:35
        • To the adventurous go the spoils . . . by DanS 2019-09-16 09:02:27
          • Once again, playing the Devil's Advocate... by ER 2019-09-16 12:13:22
            • Leaps and bounds . . . by DanS 2019-09-17 07:56:45

      Search

      The Control Panel

      • Log in
      • Register