July 28, 2009 | 19 comments

Space Aged: 10 Spacecraft from Decades Past That Are Still Ticking [Slide Show]

Whether peering into deep space or checking on human activity, spacecraft and satellites from days gone by are still on the job

By John Matson

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VOYAGERS 1 AND 2 (1977):

Voyager 1, having journeyed for more than 30 years, is now the farthest man-made object in the universe at more than 10 billion miles from the sun. Voyager 2 is taking a slower route that allowed flybys of Uranus and Neptune—the first and only space probe to do so. Both spacecraft continue to function today, and they could become the first probes to report back from interstellar space when they escape the solar system as expected in the next five to 10 years. Should they ever encounter an alien civilization, both Voyagers carry a Golden Record, a 12-inch gold-plated LP spearheaded by astronomer Carl Sagan with a selection of music, nature sounds and greetings from Earth in numerous languages. Each LP comes with a stylus and symbolic instructions for playing the record as well as a written message from then-President Jimmy Carter.

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Slide Show: 10 Spacecraft from Decades Past That Are Still Ticking

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