Voyager boldly goes | Group Tour Magazine Blog
Voyager boldly goes | Group Tour Magazine Blog
Voyager boldly goes
By Amanda Black
A tiny planet in a tiny solar system has finally branched out.
The Voyager I spacecraft is reaching the end of our home solar system — and it’s the first manmade vessel to reach this milestone. The spacecraft was launched at the end of the 1970s, and it’s been tooling through outer space ever since, sending back data along its journey.The recent information it’s been gathering has really excited scientists. It’s reaching a point between our solar system and “interstellar space” as NASA scientists have called it.
NASA scientists can do a much better job than me explaining Voyager’s amazing journey at the spacecraft’s homepage.
Radiolab, a masterful public radio show also does a fantastic job of this too with a recent story.
I hope this wonderful story captures the attention of a new generation because I fear that attention to and awe of space is on the wane.
A few years ago, I visited Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry with my neighbors. The adults stood in awe of the artifacts in the Henry Crown Space Center, and the kids were totally uninterested. “But that was in space!” I pleaded. Didn’t work. The kids didn’t care.
But now is a great time to connect with the world beyond ours. Tour planners have many options for adding space-themed attractions to their next group outings.
A tiny planet in a tiny solar system has finally branched out.
The Voyager I spacecraft is reaching the end of our home solar system — and it’s the first manmade vessel to reach this milestone. The spacecraft was launched at the end of the 1970s, and it’s been tooling through outer space ever since, sending back data along its journey.The recent information it’s been gathering has really excited scientists. It’s reaching a point between our solar system and “interstellar space” as NASA scientists have called it.
NASA scientists can do a much better job than me explaining Voyager’s amazing journey at the spacecraft’s homepage.
Radiolab, a masterful public radio show also does a fantastic job of this too with a recent story.
I hope this wonderful story captures the attention of a new generation because I fear that attention to and awe of space is on the wane.
A few years ago, I visited Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry with my neighbors. The adults stood in awe of the artifacts in the Henry Crown Space Center, and the kids were totally uninterested. “But that was in space!” I pleaded. Didn’t work. The kids didn’t care.
But now is a great time to connect with the world beyond ours. Tour planners have many options for adding space-themed attractions to their next group outings.
| NASA/JPL-Caltech Voyager is working its way from our solar system out into truly outer space. | ||
NASA has been really good about opening its operations to the public. Looking at the complete list, I see 13 different locations counting the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum.
The list includes the well-known Johnson Space Center (Houston of “Houston, we have a problem) and the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., as well as some other cool places.
The Stennis Space Center opened a brand-new public facility last spring in Bay St. Louis, along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Infinity Science Center, a $30 million project, has a ton of fun and interesting experiences waiting for groups.
Beyond the NASA sites, groups have the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala., the made-for-groups Space Camps and even sites related to Star Trek.
My favorite might be Vulcan, Alberta, a small town that loves its connection to Spock.
Many science centers have planetarium shows that will make groups look to the stars. The last one I saw was the Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville, Ga. I can still remember how exciting it was to see actual photos of Saturn. We have Voyager to thank for those.
What keeps your groups looking up?
The list includes the well-known Johnson Space Center (Houston of “Houston, we have a problem) and the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., as well as some other cool places.
The Stennis Space Center opened a brand-new public facility last spring in Bay St. Louis, along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Infinity Science Center, a $30 million project, has a ton of fun and interesting experiences waiting for groups.
Beyond the NASA sites, groups have the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala., the made-for-groups Space Camps and even sites related to Star Trek.
My favorite might be Vulcan, Alberta, a small town that loves its connection to Spock.
Many science centers have planetarium shows that will make groups look to the stars. The last one I saw was the Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville, Ga. I can still remember how exciting it was to see actual photos of Saturn. We have Voyager to thank for those.
What keeps your groups looking up?
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