Voyager and the
Golden Record.
In 1977, NASA launched two space probes called Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 to
explore the outer planets in detail for the first time. Both missions visited the
systems of Jupiter and Saturn and Voyager 2 was able to continue onwards
to Neptune and Uranus. Both probes have continued their missions beyond the
Solar System and are still sending back scientific information.
Voyager Missions
The missions were launched in 1977 to
take advantage of a rare alignment of
the planets Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and
Pluto. The Voyager flight paths were
designed to make use of ‘gravitational
slingshots’ a method of flying close enough
to a planet to gain a boost in momentum
from the speed at which that planet is
orbiting the Sun. As a consequence the
probes have reached some amazing speeds.
Voyager 1, the fastest, is travelling away
from the Solar System at 61 959 km/h!
Each of the Voyager Spacecraft carries a Golden Record, which is a specially
prepared vinyl disc containing instructions on how to play the disc and
information about the Earth. The records act as a type of time capsule and were
placed on the spacecraft in case they should ever be found by alien life forms
and contain images, sounds and greetings to represent the Earth.
Page 9 of 12
Voyager and the Golden Record
The Voyager missions have been an incredible triumph and have been
responsible for many improvements in our understanding of the Solar
System. Among the achievements of the Voyager missions are:
1. photographs which revealed the nature of clouds and storms on Jupiter;
2. capturing the images of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and
Neptune by which we know the planets today;
3. discovering volcanic activity on Jupiter’s moon Io;
4. discovering ‘spokes’ in Saturn’s rings;
5. being the first and only probes to visit the
‘Ice Giants’ Neptune and Uranus;
6. discovering 10 new moons orbiting Uranus;
7. discovering the point at which the Solar Wind dies down.
The Voyager Spacecraft’s mad hurtle into the emptiness of space continues
every moment of every day; there are trackers on the Internet which allow you
to follow their progress. Voyager 1 has already become the furthest travelled
manmade object in history. It is estimated that the Voyager space probes may
be able to send back information for approximately another seven years. After
that it will be another 10 000 years before they get ‘close’ to any other known
objects in space.
Page 10 of 12
Voyager and the Golden Record
Questions
1. What do you think the phrase ‘rare alignment’ means?
2. Why is an exclamation mark used after Voyager’s quoted speed of 61 959 km/h?
3. How are the Golden Records a type of time capsule?
4. Underline two words in this sentence which tells us that the Voyager missions have been a
success:
The Voyager missions have been an incredible triumph and have been responsible for many
improvements in our understanding of the Solar System.
5. Which do you think is the most important of Voyager’s achievements?
6. Why do you think the author refers to the Voyager’s spacecraft journeys continuing ‘every
minute of the day’?
7. Why does the text specify that the Voyager Spacecraft would be the furthest travelled
‘manmade’ object?
8. Why is the word ‘close’ placed in inverted commas in the last paragraph?
Page 11 of 12
Voyager and the Golden Record
Answers
1. What do you think the phrase ‘rare alignment’ means?
A lining up of the planets which doesn’t happen often.
2. Why is an exclamation mark used after Voyager’s quoted speed of 61 959 km/h?
To emphasise the incredible speed.
3. How are the Golden Records a type of time capsule?
Because the images and information contained on them will all date to 1977 and cannot
be altered.
4. Underline two words in this sentence which tells us that the Voyager missions have been a
success:
The Voyager missions have been an incredible triumph and have been responsible for
many improvements in our understanding of the Solar System.
5. Which do you think is the most important of Voyager’s achievements?
Own answer quoting one of the seven achievements stated in the text with justification.
6. Why do you think the author refers to the Voyager’s spacecraft journeys continuing ‘every
minute of the day’?
To help the reader picture the space craft moving through space even while they are
reading.
7. Why does the text specify that the Voyager Spacecraft would be the furthest travelled
‘manmade’ object?
Because other natural objects, stars, planets, asteroids and comets will have travelled
further.
8. Why is the word ‘close’ placed in inverted commas in the last paragraph?
To indicate that because of the huge distances involved in space ‘close’ may not
necessarily be very close at all.
Page 12 of 12
