Voyager Spacecraft Anniversary (broadcast Friday, August 24th, 2007)

We'll also wish a happy anniversary to the Voyager spacecraft, still returning data after 30 years of flight. In 1977, NASA launched the twin spacecraft, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2, on an ambitious tour through our solar system and beyond. The spacecraft returned data and images of our planetary neighbors, and are still moving outward. On board, in addition to the cameras and scientific sensors, was a message to the stars -- a golden record containing images, sounds, music, and messages intended to relate the story of Earth to any intelligent beings that might come across it in space. We'll talk with some of the people in charge of the Voyager mission, and talk about the history of the robotic exploration of space. Teachers, find more information about using Science Friday as a classroom resource in the Kids' Connection.