The Little Spacecraft That Could

   By Eileanora Clock

         Even though NASA is no longer launching astronauts into outer space, they still have satellites taking pictures of our solar system.  They now have a satellite that can take pictures outside our solar system; because it is outside our solar system!  For the first time ever, something man-made has traveled farther than anyone dreamed was possible. The Voyager 1 has reached new heights.

      Launched in 1977, the Voyager 1 was launched into outer space.  It had reached its 36th birthday when it stopped encountering familiar sights.  The Voyager 1 had reached interstellar space!  

      Originally outfitted for a trip to Jupiter, the space crafts technology is primitive.  It only has an eight track recorder, and computers with one- twenty four thousandth the memory of an old iPhone.  Understandably, scientists were amazed to find that the Voyager had traveled out of the solar system. 

    Lots of telescopes can peer into the Milky Way, but only the Voyager is able to feel the enveloping blackness which must be surrounding it.  The NASA scientists worked for weeks, trying to decide whether the images they were receiving were only solar plasma or were they plasma from outside the solar system.  Now, they are positive it is the second choice.  The date they have finalized for when the Voyager 1 left our solar system is August 25th, 2012.

The Voyager 1 sent never before seen pictures of Jupiter and Saturn in its day.  It has a partner, the Voyager 2, which was launched at the same time, is headed in the opposite direction.  While the Voyager 2 has not left the solar system yet, it is expected to leave the solar system soon.

Since the Voyager 1 is now taking pictures of never before recorded data, NASA asked the team of scientists in charge of the Voyager to gather more data.  The only problem was that the data recorders didn't have anymore space.  Could they find anyone able to solve this problem?  The equipment from 1977 wasn't exactly bursting with space.  Would the scientists be able to coax the recorders to collect more data? Who could they find anyone who specialized in that technology and be able to save the project?  
     They found their savior in Lawrence J. Zottarelli, who was a retired engineer. He convinced the machines to collect the data they were being overloaded with.  Thanks to the scientists working with the Voyager 1, we will continue to receive information from this wonderful source.

With this data, the Voyager team continues to find new and fascinating information about the Milky Way, and who knows? Maybe someday this research will open portals to new worlds.