1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,680 Picture this, two spacecraft launched back in 1977, 2 00:00:03,680 --> 00:00:05,920 back when disco was a thing and bell bottoms 3 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:07,480 were like the height of fashion. 4 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:08,400 Wow. 5 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:11,100 These emissaries have traveled billions of miles, 6 00:00:11,100 --> 00:00:13,160 ventured beyond our sun's reach. 7 00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:15,640 And get this, they're still communicating with us. 8 00:00:15,640 --> 00:00:16,460 Oh. 9 00:00:16,460 --> 00:00:18,700 It's kind of like something out of a science fiction novel. 10 00:00:18,700 --> 00:00:19,880 But it's real. 11 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:21,060 It really is remarkable. 12 00:00:21,060 --> 00:00:24,440 Voyager one and two have just blown past all expectations. 13 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:28,240 They've become humanity's farthest spacecraft. 14 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:30,840 Like our envoys to interstellar space. 15 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:32,560 It's an amazing story. 16 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:35,520 One full of incredible ambition, groundbreaking discoveries, 17 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:37,560 and even a little bit of poetic hope 18 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:39,200 for connection beyond Earth. 19 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:41,920 Today we're going deep into the legacy of the Voyager probes. 20 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:44,380 We're talking their grand tour of the outer solar system, 21 00:00:44,380 --> 00:00:46,520 their incredible discoveries, and the messages 22 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:48,580 they carry for the rest of the cosmos. 23 00:00:48,580 --> 00:00:51,440 Welcome to Cosmos in a Pod, the space and astronomy series. 24 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:53,000 So these probes weren't just sent out 25 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:55,040 to take a few snapshots. 26 00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:55,540 Right. 27 00:00:55,540 --> 00:00:58,360 What was the big plan for this grand tour they went on? 28 00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:00,840 Well, the 1970s presented a rare chance, 29 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:02,480 a planetary alignment. 30 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:05,980 It only happens once every 175 years. 31 00:01:05,980 --> 00:01:07,680 It was an opportunity to use gravity 32 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:11,520 to slingshot a spacecraft past Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, 33 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:13,040 and Neptune. 34 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:15,040 Imagine like a cosmic billiard shot. 35 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:17,880 This was Voyager's chance to change everything we 36 00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:19,480 knew about these giant worlds. 37 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:21,080 And they really took advantage of it, didn't they? 38 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:22,200 Especially Voyager two. 39 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:23,360 It visited all four. 40 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:26,200 Yeah, Voyager two kind of became like the ultimate overachiever. 41 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:28,600 It gave us this full picture of these gas giants 42 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:30,600 and all their fascinating moons and rings. 43 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:34,440 OK, so it's 1979, and Voyager one gets to Jupiter. 44 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:36,680 What were some of the first big aha moments? 45 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:38,360 Well, Jupiter's great red spot. 46 00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:41,040 You know that giant swirling storm that's bigger than Earth? 47 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:42,400 It's always fascinated us. 48 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:43,760 But Voyager one did more than just 49 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:45,160 capture some amazing images. 50 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:46,960 It revealed how complex the storm is 51 00:01:46,960 --> 00:01:50,320 with all those swirling bands of wind and like turbulent eddies. 52 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:52,520 Whoa, it's like having a hurricane in your backyard. 53 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:54,600 This one's been going on for centuries. 54 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:56,720 But there were other surprises too, right? 55 00:01:56,720 --> 00:01:58,520 Like beyond just Jupiter itself. 56 00:01:58,520 --> 00:01:59,960 Oh, absolutely. 57 00:01:59,960 --> 00:02:01,480 One of the most shocking discoveries 58 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:04,240 was finding active volcanoes on Io. 59 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:06,200 That's one of Jupiter's moons. 60 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:08,520 It completely changed how we thought about moons. 61 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:11,400 And it showed us a new way planets can get internal heat 62 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:12,600 tidal forces. 63 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:15,000 So Io isn't just some cold rock. 64 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:17,520 It's this fiery world being stretched and squeezed 65 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:19,400 by Jupiter's gravity and all that energy's 66 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:20,740 erupting outward. 67 00:02:20,740 --> 00:02:21,640 That's incredible. 68 00:02:21,640 --> 00:02:23,640 It's a perfect example of how the Voyagers made 69 00:02:23,640 --> 00:02:25,400 us rethink our assumptions. 70 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:28,040 And speaking of assumptions, we got a much closer look 71 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:29,440 at Jupiter's magnetic field. 72 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:32,220 It's like this huge bubble protecting the planet 73 00:02:32,220 --> 00:02:33,700 from the solar wind. 74 00:02:33,700 --> 00:02:36,320 And Voyager helped us map it, figure out its structure 75 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:37,440 and how strong it is. 76 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:41,280 OK, next stop, Saturn, the ringed wonder. 77 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:43,440 What do the Voyagers tell us about that celestial gem? 78 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:45,080 Saturn's rings are mesmerizing. 79 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:46,360 There's no doubt about that. 80 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:48,760 But the Voyagers didn't just capture how beautiful they are. 81 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:50,480 They showed us how complex they are. 82 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:53,240 We saw thousands of individual ringlets, gaps created 83 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:54,320 by shepherd moons. 84 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:56,940 And we learned that those rings are made of ice particles that 85 00:02:56,940 --> 00:03:00,240 range in size from dust grains to like small houses. 86 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:03,160 Wow, so it's not just one big flat disk. 87 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:05,840 It's like this cosmic symphony of ice and gravity. 88 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:06,960 Exactly. 89 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:10,000 And while everyone was focused on Saturn, one of its moons, 90 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:12,680 Titan, started whispering its own secrets. 91 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:15,560 Voyager 1 showed us Titan's atmosphere. 92 00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:17,520 It's dense and rich in nitrogen. 93 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:19,040 And that hinted at the possibility 94 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:22,040 of complex organic chemistry happening on the surface. 95 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:25,160 So that's when Titan went from just a dot on the map 96 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:27,280 to a possible place for life. 97 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:29,240 Yeah, it definitely sparked our curiosity. 98 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:31,600 And remember, this was back in the 1980s, 99 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:34,080 long before the Cassini-Huygens mission landed 100 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:35,560 a probe on Titan. 101 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:37,600 The Voyagers basically planted the seeds 102 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:38,960 for future exploration. 103 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:39,920 That's amazing. 104 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:43,400 Now, Voyager 2 continued on its solo journey to Uranus. 105 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:46,360 That's the ice giant that's basically spinning on its side. 106 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:47,440 What did it find there? 107 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:49,800 Uranus is kind of the oddball of our solar system. 108 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:52,240 It's tilted on its axis almost 90 degrees. 109 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:53,960 So it's practically rolling around the sun. 110 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:56,080 Like you got knocked over or something. 111 00:03:56,080 --> 00:03:58,840 What else did Voyager 2 learn about this sideways planet? 112 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:01,560 Well, it found 10 new moons and two new rings, 113 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:04,560 adding to Uranus's already unique collection. 114 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:06,680 It also mapped the planet's magnetic field, 115 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:09,800 which is tilted at a crazy angle and offset from the planet's 116 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:10,560 center. 117 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:13,760 A sideways planet with a wonky magnetic field. 118 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:16,080 Sounds like Uranus is a real rebel. 119 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:18,320 You could say that. 120 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:20,480 And finally, Voyager 2 reached Neptune, 121 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:22,360 the outermost giant planet. 122 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:24,520 That's where it encountered a world that was even more 123 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:26,440 dynamic than we expected. 124 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:27,880 What was so special about Neptune? 125 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:31,480 Voyager 2 showed us Neptune's amazing blue atmosphere. 126 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:34,440 It's whipped by winds that are faster than any other planet 127 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:35,800 in our solar system. 128 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:38,200 It found six new moons and four new rings, 129 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:40,840 which just added to what we knew about these ice giants. 130 00:04:40,840 --> 00:04:43,480 But the real star of the show was Triton, right? 131 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:44,960 Neptune's biggest moon. 132 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:46,080 I remember those pictures. 133 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:47,000 It looked almost alien. 134 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:48,120 Triton was incredible. 135 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:50,920 Voyager 2 saw nitrogen geysers erupting from its surface. 136 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:53,080 They created these plumes of icy material 137 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:54,320 that stretched for miles. 138 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:55,400 Imagine seeing that. 139 00:04:55,400 --> 00:04:57,960 It's mind-blowing to think about these freezing worlds having 140 00:04:57,960 --> 00:04:58,960 such intense activity. 141 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:00,840 But the Voyagers didn't stop there, did they? 142 00:05:00,840 --> 00:05:02,760 They kept going beyond the planets. 143 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:03,280 They did. 144 00:05:03,280 --> 00:05:06,800 They kept going, pushing into that vast unexplored territory 145 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:08,880 of interstellar space. 146 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:10,920 And that's where our story continues in part two 147 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:12,120 of this deep dive. 148 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:14,680 I can't wait to hear more about that journey into the unknown. 149 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:16,960 But before we go, I have to ask about the golden record, 150 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:18,120 the one everyone talks about. 151 00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:20,040 It sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie. 152 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:21,280 It's quite a story. 153 00:05:21,280 --> 00:05:23,160 And we'll definitely dive into that next time. 154 00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:24,040 All right, everyone. 155 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:24,960 Stay tuned. 156 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:27,800 We'll be back soon to continue exploring the legacy 157 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:29,760 of the Voyager probes. 158 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:31,600 Welcome back to Cosmos in a Pod. 159 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:32,760 It's great to be back. 160 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:35,440 It's hard to believe Voyager 1 and 2 are still out there, 161 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:38,160 sending us data from so far away. 162 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:39,780 Last time we talked about their journey 163 00:05:39,780 --> 00:05:41,480 through the solar system. 164 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:45,360 But now they've gone beyond that into interstellar space. 165 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:46,520 What does that even mean? 166 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:47,800 And how do we know they made it? 167 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:50,400 Well, it's like leaving the safety of our sun's bubble 168 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:52,680 and entering a whole new realm. 169 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:54,280 It's where the stuff between stars 170 00:05:54,280 --> 00:05:56,440 takes over the interstellar medium. 171 00:05:56,440 --> 00:05:57,760 And it's not just empty space. 172 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:00,360 It's filled with gas dust and cosmic rays. 173 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:03,280 So how did we figure out that the Voyagers had actually 174 00:06:03,280 --> 00:06:04,640 left our solar system? 175 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:06,920 It wasn't like they crossed a finish line. 176 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:09,280 Scientists looked for specific changes in the data. 177 00:06:09,280 --> 00:06:13,480 Voyager 1 crossed the boundary called the heliopause in 2012. 178 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:16,320 And Voyager 2 followed in 2018. 179 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:19,620 One big clue was a drop in the intensity of charged particles 180 00:06:19,620 --> 00:06:23,920 coming from the sun and a rise in galactic cosmic rays. 181 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:27,040 Those are high energy particles from outside our solar system. 182 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:28,980 So it's like they sailed from calm waters 183 00:06:28,980 --> 00:06:31,140 into a sea of cosmic radiation. 184 00:06:31,140 --> 00:06:33,340 What have they been telling us about this place we've 185 00:06:33,340 --> 00:06:34,560 never explored before? 186 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:36,420 The Voyagers have been giving us a taste 187 00:06:36,420 --> 00:06:37,680 of what it's like out there. 188 00:06:37,680 --> 00:06:39,920 They're measuring things like the density temperature 189 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:41,880 and what the interstellar plasma is made of. 190 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:44,840 It's much less dense than anything in our solar system. 191 00:06:44,840 --> 00:06:46,720 But it's still a very active place. 192 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:49,600 So even in the vastness of space between stars, 193 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:50,840 there's still stuff happening. 194 00:06:50,840 --> 00:06:51,580 Absolutely. 195 00:06:51,580 --> 00:06:53,360 And it's not just about the particles. 196 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:55,520 Magnetic fields are really important out there. 197 00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:57,040 They're like these invisible paths 198 00:06:57,040 --> 00:06:59,300 that guide cosmic rays and shape the structure 199 00:06:59,300 --> 00:07:00,880 of the interstellar medium. 200 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:03,520 And the Voyagers are helping us map these fields, learning 201 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:05,240 about their strength and direction. 202 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:07,400 It's like we're getting a 3D map of a place we've 203 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:10,640 never been, thanks to these little probes. 204 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:11,960 That's amazing. 205 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:14,040 But wait, I remember reading about something 206 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:16,240 called the IBEX ribbon. 207 00:07:16,240 --> 00:07:18,400 What does that have to do with the Voyagers in interstellar 208 00:07:18,400 --> 00:07:19,400 space? 209 00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:21,600 Oh, the IBEX ribbon? 210 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:24,800 That's an exciting discovery made by a different spacecraft. 211 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:26,440 But it gives us clues about the region 212 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:27,980 where the Voyagers are now. 213 00:07:27,980 --> 00:07:30,760 It's a band of energetic neutral atoms. 214 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:33,600 It kind of glows like a ribbon across the sky. 215 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:36,000 And it turns out these atoms come from the very edge 216 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:39,040 of our sun's influence, where the heliosphere meets 217 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:40,280 the interstellar medium. 218 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:42,440 So it's like a cosmic signpost showing us 219 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:46,000 where our sun's territory ends and interstellar space begins. 220 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:46,680 Exactly. 221 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:48,960 It's almost like the Voyagers are sending postcards 222 00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:52,080 from a place we've only glimpsed through this IBEX ribbon. 223 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:54,160 That's a really cool way to think about it. 224 00:07:54,160 --> 00:07:55,480 But let's be realistic. 225 00:07:55,480 --> 00:07:57,280 Communicating with spacecraft that far away 226 00:07:57,280 --> 00:08:00,540 must be incredibly difficult. It takes over 22 hours 227 00:08:00,540 --> 00:08:03,880 for a signal to travel from Voyager 1 to Earth and back. 228 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:05,760 It's really a testament to the ingenuity 229 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:08,120 of the engineers who designed these missions. 230 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:10,280 They had to think ahead, plan for everything, 231 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:13,040 and program commands in advance, because by the time 232 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:15,480 a signal gets to Earth, things might have already 233 00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:16,880 changed on the spacecraft. 234 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:18,880 It's like playing a slow motion game of chess 235 00:08:18,880 --> 00:08:20,960 across the solar system. 236 00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:22,280 And what of power? 237 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:24,200 They must be running low after all these years. 238 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:25,900 They can't just stop for a recharge. 239 00:08:25,900 --> 00:08:28,920 They use those radioisotope thermoelectric generators, 240 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:29,680 the RTGs. 241 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:31,120 We talked about those before. 242 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:35,120 But the plutonium fuel that powers them is slowly decaying. 243 00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:37,880 So each year, they have less and less power. 244 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:40,240 It's a constant challenge to decide which instruments 245 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:41,560 get the energy they need. 246 00:08:41,560 --> 00:08:44,240 So these aren't just voyages of discovery. 247 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:46,040 They're voyages of survival. 248 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:47,760 How much longer can they keep going? 249 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:50,120 Well, right now, we think sometime in the mid 2030s, 250 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:52,560 they'll run out of enough power to keep even one instrument 251 00:08:52,560 --> 00:08:53,400 running. 252 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:56,000 Then they'll truly become silent ambassadors, 253 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:58,160 drifting through the galaxy on their own. 254 00:08:58,160 --> 00:08:59,520 It's kind of sad to think about. 255 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:00,720 They've been with us for so long, 256 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:03,480 expanding our knowledge and sparking our imaginations. 257 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:05,520 But there's something poetic about them eventually 258 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:08,520 fading away, like ancient explorers lost 259 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:09,960 to the vast unknown. 260 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:12,080 There is beauty in that, I agree. 261 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:13,800 But what they've done will live on. 262 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:16,840 The data they've sent will be studied for generations. 263 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:18,560 And their journey will always inspire us 264 00:09:18,560 --> 00:09:20,000 to reach for the stars. 265 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:21,880 And speaking of their impact, let's 266 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:24,680 talk about the golden record, that famous message 267 00:09:24,680 --> 00:09:27,400 in a bottle attached to each Voyager spacecraft. 268 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:28,400 What's on it? 269 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:30,200 And why did they even create it? 270 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:32,600 Imagine trying to summarize humanity. 271 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:35,200 Our sounds, our images, our music, 272 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:37,640 and putting it all on a gold plated record. 273 00:09:37,640 --> 00:09:39,760 That was the challenge for Carl Sagan and his team 274 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:41,080 back in the 1970s. 275 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:42,800 That sounds like an impossible task. 276 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:44,000 What did they choose to include? 277 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:45,120 It's a fascinating mix. 278 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:47,280 There are greetings in 55 different languages, 279 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:49,520 sounds of nature, like wind, thunder, birds singing, 280 00:09:49,520 --> 00:09:50,880 even a baby crying. 281 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:53,080 I bet they included some Mozart and Beethoven too. 282 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:54,000 Of course. 283 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:55,760 They put together a variety of music, 284 00:09:55,760 --> 00:09:58,720 from classical to folk blues to rock and roll. 285 00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:00,680 They even included Chuck Berry's Johnny B. 286 00:10:00,680 --> 00:10:03,840 Good, just in case aliens like to rock out. 287 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:05,640 We sent rock and roll into space. 288 00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:06,520 That's awesome. 289 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:08,840 But seriously, what were the chances anyone 290 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:10,440 would ever find this record? 291 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:13,320 It's like throwing a message in a bottle into a vast ocean. 292 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:15,880 Honestly, the chances of extraterrestrials finding 293 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:18,480 the golden record are incredibly small. 294 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:20,200 Space is just too vast. 295 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:24,040 So it was more symbolic than a real attempt at communication. 296 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:25,680 I think that's a good way to put it. 297 00:10:25,680 --> 00:10:28,000 But even as a symbol, it's powerful. 298 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:30,960 It shows our hope, our curiosity, our desire 299 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:33,160 to connect with something beyond ourselves. 300 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:35,240 It's like a message to the universe, 301 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:37,360 carrying our stories, our dreams, 302 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:39,600 our hopes for the future. 303 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:42,280 And who knows, maybe one day, billions of years from now, 304 00:10:42,280 --> 00:10:44,280 it'll be found and spark the imagination 305 00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:45,680 of another civilization. 306 00:10:45,680 --> 00:10:47,160 That's the amazing thing about it. 307 00:10:47,160 --> 00:10:49,240 It represents the human spirit, our need 308 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:52,680 to explore, to connect, share our story with the universe, 309 00:10:52,680 --> 00:10:54,320 even if we never get a response. 310 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:56,000 Welcome back to Cosmos in a Pod. 311 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:57,480 It's good to be back. 312 00:10:57,480 --> 00:10:59,880 As we wrap up our deep dive into the Voyager missions, 313 00:10:59,880 --> 00:11:02,680 I'm feeling this sense of awe, but also 314 00:11:02,680 --> 00:11:04,320 a little bit of melancholy. 315 00:11:04,320 --> 00:11:07,760 These two tiny spacecraft, they were launched over 40 years 316 00:11:07,760 --> 00:11:08,680 ago. 317 00:11:08,680 --> 00:11:11,040 And they've revealed so much about space. 318 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:13,800 And they've left us with these really big questions 319 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:16,640 about humanity's place in the universe. 320 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:19,280 It's been a pretty incredible journey for the spacecraft 321 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:21,240 and for our understanding of the cosmos. 322 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:23,920 The Voyagers really pushed the boundaries of exploration. 323 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:27,400 And they've inspired so many scientists and dreamers. 324 00:11:27,400 --> 00:11:31,080 You know, it's amazing to me how this technology from the 1970s 325 00:11:31,080 --> 00:11:32,840 has become so iconic. 326 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:34,600 It represents this deep human drive 327 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:37,360 to explore, to go beyond what we know 328 00:11:37,360 --> 00:11:39,080 and venture into the unknown. 329 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:41,800 It's that spirit of discovery that keeps us moving forward, 330 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:44,720 that makes us question and wonder and look for answers 331 00:11:44,720 --> 00:11:45,880 beyond our own world. 332 00:11:45,880 --> 00:11:48,960 The Voyagers really embody that spirit more than almost 333 00:11:48,960 --> 00:11:50,000 any other mission. 334 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:52,120 And they've proven that even with older technology, 335 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:54,000 we can still achieve amazing things. 336 00:11:54,000 --> 00:11:56,320 It's a testament to how clever the people were who designed 337 00:11:56,320 --> 00:11:57,360 and built them. 338 00:11:57,360 --> 00:11:59,000 And the dedication of the teams who have kept 339 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:00,360 them running for so long. 340 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:01,440 I agree. 341 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:05,080 The Voyagers remind us that exploration is a team effort. 342 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:08,640 It takes brilliant minds in this constant pursuit of knowledge. 343 00:12:08,640 --> 00:12:10,680 And that same spirit of collaboration 344 00:12:10,680 --> 00:12:14,120 will keep driving us as we explore space in the future. 345 00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:16,880 So looking ahead, what lessons from the Voyager missions 346 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:19,240 can guide us in future explorations? 347 00:12:19,240 --> 00:12:22,280 One big lesson is the importance of thinking long term. 348 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:24,920 You know, the Voyagers were only supposed to last five years 349 00:12:24,920 --> 00:12:26,840 to study Jupiter and Saturn. 350 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:28,800 But they've gone way beyond that and given us 351 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:31,200 decades of incredible data. 352 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:32,960 When we plan future missions, we need 353 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:35,680 to think about more than just the immediate goals. 354 00:12:35,680 --> 00:12:37,800 We need to consider the potential for discoveries 355 00:12:37,800 --> 00:12:39,400 years down the line. 356 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:42,040 And the legacy will leave for future generations. 357 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:43,480 That's a really good point. 358 00:12:43,480 --> 00:12:44,920 It also shows us that exploration 359 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:47,360 is about the journey, not just a destination. 360 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:49,120 The Voyagers have taught us there's always 361 00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:52,160 something new to learn, something new to discover, 362 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:54,560 and that the search for knowledge never really ends. 363 00:12:54,560 --> 00:12:55,200 Exactly. 364 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:57,880 It's about accepting the unknown and being ready to be surprised 365 00:12:57,880 --> 00:12:58,920 by what we find. 366 00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:01,640 And the Voyagers have definitely done that over and over again. 367 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:04,000 It's not just about scientific discoveries either. 368 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:07,200 It's about the inspiration, the wonder, the sense of awe 369 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:08,520 that exploration brings. 370 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:09,040 You're right. 371 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:11,000 The Voyagers have captured our imaginations 372 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:12,520 and broadened our perspectives. 373 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:14,920 They remind us that we're part of something so much bigger 374 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:18,480 than ourselves, something that goes way beyond our planet. 375 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:21,080 As we say goodbye to these amazing explorers, 376 00:13:21,080 --> 00:13:23,640 it's good to remember Carl Sagan's words. 377 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:25,880 He was so important to the Voyager missions. 378 00:13:25,880 --> 00:13:29,480 He said, we are a way for the cosmos to know itself. 379 00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:31,800 And the Voyager probes with their messages 380 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:33,440 and music and images. 381 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:35,040 They prove how true that is. 382 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:37,120 They symbolize our connection to the universe. 383 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:39,600 They show us that we're not alone in this vastness. 384 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:41,760 And even though they'll eventually lose power, 385 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:43,320 they'll keep drifting through space, 386 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:46,480 carrying a part of humanity with them for billions of years. 387 00:13:46,480 --> 00:13:48,960 So as the Voyagers continue on their silent journey 388 00:13:48,960 --> 00:13:51,760 into interstellar space, they carry with them 389 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:53,520 our hopes and dreams. 390 00:13:53,520 --> 00:13:55,760 But also the essence of who we are, 391 00:13:55,760 --> 00:13:58,200 as explorers, as dreamers, as people who 392 00:13:58,200 --> 00:13:59,760 want to learn and understand. 393 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:02,000 Their legacy will keep inspiring us 394 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:03,760 to push the boundaries of exploration, 395 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:07,040 to reach for the stars, and to always keep asking questions 396 00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:09,440 about the mysteries of the universe. 397 00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:11,560 Thank you for joining us on this incredible journey 398 00:14:11,560 --> 00:14:12,920 into the Voyager missions. 399 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:15,120 It's been amazing to share this exploration with you. 400 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:16,280 The pleasure was all mine. 401 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:18,800 And remember, the exploration continues. 402 00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:21,440 There's still so much out there to discover, 403 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:23,400 so many mysteries to unravel. 404 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:25,800 So keep looking up, keep asking questions, 405 00:14:25,800 --> 00:14:27,880 and never stop exploring. 406 00:14:27,880 --> 00:14:30,520 For more cosmic adventures and mind-blowing discoveries, 407 00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:32,080 don't forget to follow and subscribe 408 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:34,720 to Cosmos in a Pod and our YouTube channel. 409 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:54,400 Until next time, keep exploring the wonders of the universe.