What is obsolescence?

Remember dial-up internet? Floppy disks? Encyclopedias? Yeah, me neither! Nowadays, things seem to get outdated faster than ever. That’s obsolescence – it happens when something becomes disused or neglected. Hear the footsteps? That’s the cruel march of time, rendering once-cutting edge tech about as useful as a fax machine.

But then there’s NASA’s Voyager program – plucky twin spacecraft, Voyager 1 and 2 – launched in 1977 with the same technology that brought us Pong and eight-track tapes. These spacecraft were supposed to be a five-year fling, a cosmic joyride past Jupiter and Saturn on a mission to explore the outer reaches of our solar system. Fast forward to 2024, and Voyager 1, the farthest human-made object from Earth, just phoned home after a little glitch.

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NASA’s Voyager 1 Resumes Sending Engineering Updates to Earth

After some inventive sleuthing, the mission team can — for the first time in five months — check the health and status of the most distant human-made object in existence.

Talk about resilience!

These robotic ambassadors are like the cockroaches of technology – they’ve braved solar winds, scorching heat, and the crushing loneliness of deep space – and they keep on ticking.

But Voyager’s not just defying the odds of time, and setting speed records that would make Michael Schumacher jealous, Voyager is making a mockery of the concept of obsolescence altogether. Nestled amongst the scientific instruments on Voyager is a Golden Record, a 12-inch LP packed with greetings, music, and Earthly sounds. A message in a bottle for any potential alien record players out there. A cosmic mix tape filled with Earth’s greatest hits – greetings in multiple languages, whale sounds, the sound of thunder, Chuck Berry’s Johnny B. Goode – you name it, it’s on there. Who knew that “vinyl” (sort of vinyl?) would be the ultimate format for interstellar communication through the ages? Seriously, if that thing landed here on earth 10 years ago, we would have been at a loss on what to do with it. But with the recent resurgence of vinyl, every hipster this side of Portland has the hardware to play that thing. So classic. So timeless.

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Voyager – What’s on the Golden Record

The contents of the record were selected for NASA by a committee chaired by Carl Sagan of Cornell University, et. al. Dr. Sagan and his associates assembled 115 images and a variety of natural sounds, such as those made by surf, wind and thunder, birds, whales, and other animals. To this they added musical selections from different cultures and eras, and spoken greetings from Earth-people in fifty-five languages, and printed messages from President Carter and U.N. Secretary General Waldheim.

(much much) Faster than a speeding bullet!

Not only is Voyager 1 is the farthest human-made object from Earth, it is also one of the fastest, traveling through space at about 38,000 miles per hour (that’s about 10.5 miles per second). With my trusty TI-86, I’m able to tell you that these buggers are zooming along at a scorching 3.6 AU (Astronomical Units) per year relative to the Sun. That’s like saying it’s putting distance between itself and our solar system at a rate of 3.6 times the average distance between Earth and the Sun – every single year! Its partner, Voyager II, isn’t far behind at a zippy 3.3 AU per year.

To Infinity and Beyond Obsolescence: Voyager 1’s Lasting Legacy

Voyager’s story is a testament to human ingenuity and a reminder that sometimes, the most enduring things are the ones that defy expectations. The Voyagers are a shining example of the power of building things right.  They weren’t designed to be disposable gadgets; they were crafted for the long haul, built to endure the harsh environment of space and keep sending back valuable data.  In a world obsessed with the latest and greatest, these intrepid probes remind us that sometimes, the most impressive tech is the kind that just keeps on ticking, while hurtling through space at speeds that would make even the fastest rockets blush. 

So, the next time you think something is obsolete just because it’s a little old, stop and consider Voyager I and II.  They’re out there, billions of miles away, proving that with a little ingenuity and a whole lot of durability, you can truly become a legend amongst the stars.