The successful Artemis II mission marks the first time humans have travelled beyond Earth’s orbit since 1972, during Apollo 17, when astronauts travelled to the moon’s surface. 

Just a week after the splashdown of the Artemis crew on April 11th, NASA conducted an instrument shutdown aboard Voyager 1 in order to preserve power for further exploration. 

This historic venture into deep space continues to evoke lasting nostalgia for the Apollo era, while younger generations are experiencing their first live trip to the moon.

NASA’s new Nixon era

Following budget cuts during the Nixon administration and decreased public interest in continuing moon explorations, NASA’s efforts were redirected towards the construction of Space Shuttles and projects conducted in Earth’s low orbit. 

However, data collected in the early Apollo days made a project dubbed the “Grand Tour” by NASA scientists possible.

The Voyager 1 and 2 missions took advantage of a lunar alignment that occurs every 175 years, allowing the spacecraft to visit and collect data from the four outermost planets.

Because of the unique alignment, the vessels can use the “gravity assist” method, which uses a planet’s gravitational pull to slingshot them towards their next target. 

Voyager 2 was launched Aug. 20, 1977, on a trajectory that would take it to Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Just over two weeks later, on Sept. 5, 1977, Voyager 1 was sent on a faster path towards our solar system’s two gas giants, Jupiter and Saturn. 

A beacon of humanity

While the Voyager missions continue to provide a unique opportunity for large-scale exploration and data collection, it also acts as a beacon of mankind amidst the cosmos. 

Both Voyagers carry a 12-inch golden phonographic record containing multiple media forms meant to showcase the diversity of humans and our cultures. 

The idea of creating the “Golden Records” was inspired by metal plaques carried aboard Pioneer 10 and 11, which contained information that would allow an alien civilization to know who we are and where to find us.  

As a new era for space exploration is ushered in, how we may be perceived by other forms of life is coming into question – let’s take a look at the representations of humanity aboard the furthest and longest-operating man-made piece of technology in history. 

Carl Sagan, an astronomer at Cornell University, led a committee that selected the content and media to be embedded in the record to properly represent mankind. 

The cover contains visual instructions on how to access the records’ contents, containing both images encoded in analog form and various types of audio. 

According to NASA’s website, the Voyager crafts make their closest approaches to distant planetary systems in 40 thousand years. 

While none of us will be around to see it, here’s a look at what NASA sent out to represent our species, planet, and solar system.

Diagrams

Science and technology

Humanity

Music

Country of origin	Composition	Artist(s)	Length
Australia	Aborigine songs, “Morning Star” and “Devil Bird”	recorded by Sandra LeBrun Holmes	1:26
Austria	Mozart, The Magic Flute, Queen of the Night aria, no. 14	Edda Moser, soprano. Bavarian State Opera, Munich, Wolfgang Sawallisch, conductor	2:55
Azerbaijan	Azerbaijan S.S.R., bagpipes	recorded by Radio Moscow	2:30
Bulgaria	Izlel je Delyo Hajdutin	sung by Valya Balkanska	4:59
China	ch’in, “Flowing Streams”	performed by Kuan P’ing-hu	7:37
Georgia	Georgian S.S.R., chorus, “Tchakrulo”	collected by Radio Moscow	2:18
Germany	Bach, Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F. First Movement	Munich Bach Orchestra, Karl Richter, conductor	4:40
Germany	Bach, “Gavotte en rondeaux” from the Partita No. 3 in E major for Violin	performed by Arthur Grumiaux	2:55
Germany	Bach, The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2, Prelude and Fugue in C, No.1.	Glenn Gould, piano	4:48
Germany	Beethoven, Fifth Symphony, First Movement	the Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer, conductor	7:20
Germany	Beethoven, String Quartet No. 13 in B flat, Opus 130, Cavatina	performed by Budapest String Quartet	6:37
India	raga, “Jaat Kahan Ho”	sung by Surshri Kesar Bai Kerkar	3:30
Japan	shakuhachi, “Tsuru No Sugomori” (“Crane’s Nest,”)	performed by Goro Yamaguchi	4:51
Java	court gamelan, “Kinds of Flowers”	recorded by Robert Brown	4:43
Mexico	“El Cascabel”	performed by Lorenzo Barcelata and the Mariachi México	3:14
New Guinea	men’s house song	recorded by Robert MacLennan	1:20
Peru	panpipes and drum	collected by Casa de la Cultura, Lima	0:52
Peru	wedding song	recorded by John Cohen	0:38
Russia	Stravinsky, Rite of Spring, Sacrificial Dance	Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Igor Stravinsky, conductor	4:35
Senegal	percussion	recorded by Charles Duvelle	2:08
Solomon Islands	panpipes	collected by the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Service	1:12
United Kingdom	Holborne, Paueans, Galliards, Almains and Other Short Aeirs, “The Fairie Round”	performed by David Munrow and the Early Music Consort of London	1:17
United States	“Johnny B. Goode”	written and performed by Chuck Berry	2:38
United States	“Melancholy Blues”	performed by Louis Armstrong and his Hot Seven	3:05
United States	Navajo Indians, Night Chant	recorded by Willard Rhodes	0:57
United States	“Dark Was the Night”	written and performed by Blind Willie Johnson	3:15
Zaire	Pygmy girls’ initiation song	recorded by Colin Turnbull	0:56

Sounds of Earth and its inhabitants

You can find a full list of all the contents, including those bound by copyright, on NASA’s website.

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