Humanity escapes the solar system

[copacetic]

With absolutely no attempt at hyperbole at all, it is fair to say that this is one of - if not the - biggest achievement of the human race.

For, as we speak, an object conceived in the human mind, and built by our tools, and launched from our planet, is sailing out of the further depths of our solar system - and will be the first object made by man to sail out into interstellar space.

The Voyager 1, built by Nasa and launched in 1977 has spent the last 35 years steadily increasing its distance from Earth, and is now now 17,970,000,000km - or 11,100,000,000miles - away, travelling at 10km a second.

Indications over the last week implies that Voyager 1 is now leaving the heliosphere - the last vestige of this solar system.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...ed-edge-interstellar-space.html#ixzz1xxVM15mO

****ing amazing stuff.

***

Related, and interesting if you are not aware:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyager_Golden_Record

The Voyager Golden Records are phonograph records which were included aboard both Voyager spacecraft, which were launched in 1977. They contain sounds and images selected to portray the diversity of life and culture on Earth, and are intended for any intelligent extraterrestrial life form, or for future humans, who may find them. The Voyager spacecrafts are not heading towards any particular star, but Voyager 1 will be within 1.6 light years of the star AC+79 3888 in the Ophiuchus constellation in about 40,000 years.[1]

As the probes are extremely small compared to the vastness of interstellar space, the probability of a space-faring civilization encountering them is very small, especially since the probes will eventually stop emitting any kind of electromagnetic radiation. If they are ever found by an alien species, it will most likely be far in the future as the nearest star on Voyager 1's trajectory will only be reached in 40,000 years.

Carl Sagan noted that "The spacecraft will be encountered and the record played only if there are advanced space-faring civilizations in interstellar space. But the launching of this 'bottle' into the cosmic 'ocean' says something very hopeful about life on this planet."[2] Thus the record is best seen as a time capsule or a symbolic statement rather than a serious attempt to communicate with extraterrestrial life.

 

[TJ99]

Awesome that it's still communicating with earth. They really built those things properly in the 70's! I just wonder why no one is making a big deal out of this, it really is humanity's biggest achievement so far in some ways, yet people are more concerned about what Justin Bieberlake had for lunch or who's sports team is better.

 

[Frikkenator]

Truly amazing! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Freaksta]

And when it exits it shall make a whole that will suck everyone up and we all shall die!

Other than that, this is pretty amazing!

 

[mercurial]

Awesome

 

[koeksGHT]

Very cool

Saw a documentary on it a while ago.

 

[The_Unbeliever]

Amazing that they designed and built those without all the high-tech gee-whizzardry of today...

 

[Geriatrix]

Amazing that they designed and built those without all the high-tech gee-whizzardry of today...

With sliding rulers and pairs of compasses I'll bet.
But to be fair, they did have a Carl Sagan to work with, so there's that.

 

[copacetic]

I love it. Everyone seems impressed and no one is arguing. This is why we need to reach for the stars as a species. It unites us all like nothing else.

 

[biometrics]

I love it. Everyone seems impressed and no one is arguing. This is why we need to reach for the stars as a species. It unites us all like nothing else.

Or spreads us far and wide so we can't irritate each other

 

[OrbitalDawn]

I love it. Everyone seems impressed and no one is arguing. This is why we need to reach for the stars as a species. It unites us all like nothing else.

Yes indeed. That's why I love seeing projects like SKA and the aptly named 'European Extremely Large Telescope' coming to fruition. The excitement, enthusiasm and cooperative spirit is a strong force for good, I think.

 

[TJ99]

I love it. Everyone seems impressed and no one is arguing. This is why we need to reach for the stars as a species. It unites us all like nothing else.

That's why it's nice to be talking about science again in the science forum. If only humanity could focus on achieving something good like exploring/studying the galaxy, our stupid little differences would seem (as I see them now, anyways) insignificant.

 

[Ekstasis]

It is pretty amazing.... after all this time. "To infinity and beyond!"

 

[wrathex]

I have a shameless and unbounded passion for space exploration and an insatiable curiosity about existence on a universal level in this universe/reality and anything we shall yet discover in times to come.

It is personally very exciting that humans have come so far so soon.
I come from the era of first step on Luna.

Space - The final frontier

(for now, baby, for now)
There is always something cooking in the great lab

 

[porchrat]

So awesome.

 

[Ekstasis]

What I want to know is..how does an object like this space probe survive collisions with other space objects such as meteorites?
And this after 35 yrs still going. Does it automatically detect danger, deviate to miss said object and then get on course again?

 

[Unhappy438]

I think your understanding of space is incorrect, its not like the sci-fi movies where you just see billions of asteroids or meteorites everywhere infact most of it is just empty space. The distance between objects is huge and a safe course can be plotted out well in advance, i think alot of this is done from earth itself.

 

[Ekstasis]

I think your understanding of space is incorrect, its not like the sci-fi movies where you just see billions of asteroids or meteorites everywhere infact most of it is just empty space. The distance between objects is huge and a safe course can be plotted out well in advance, i think alot of this is done from earth itself.

oh!

 

[Kosmik]

The power of the human mind is a awesome and wonderful thing to behold. Mankind has truly risen from it's cradle.

 

[copacetic]

oh!

It is mind boggling, actually, how much of space is just that, a complete, very cold and empty vacuum!