Edward Stone has been a project scientist for 50 years. Stone was with us every step of the way as our understanding of the Solar System was changed. The spaceships are still in space and sending data home.
Stone moved on after a long and rewarding career.
Our understanding of the Solar System was still in its infancy at the time. That was changed by the first and second books in the series. There are still many discoveries that are still relevant today.
“When I look back, I realize how little we actually knew about the solar system before Voyager.”
Ed Stone, Voyager Mission Project Scientist.
Our understanding of the solar system was illuminated by the mission. There was volcanic activity on Jupiter's moon Io, as well as the discovery of new moons.
We were given close up colour pictures of the outer planets. They took over 30,000 pictures of Jupiter and its moons.
The most famous image of the mission is far away. The Pale Blue Dot is the last image that Voyager 1 took before it was turned off. Carl Sagan came up with the idea of taking a picture of the spaceship.
Ed Stone was a part of the project and has decided to retire. Stone was a good spokesman for the mission.
Stone said in 1991 that Voyager has already had an epic journey of discovery. Stone said that their journey is less than half over, with more discoveries to come. I expect that the discoveries of this never-before-visited place which awaits us beyond our planetary neighbourhood will besurprised by the fact that our imaginations were limited when we were younger.
Stone said that he realized how little he knew about the solar system before he was born. We found things we didn't know were there.
Stone was involved in a lot of other missions. He was responsible for a number of missions and instruments during his time at JPL.
Stone received praise for his work. He was part of the team that won the Outstanding Leadership medal. He received a lifetime achievement award. He was surprised with the NASA distinguished public service medal by Stephen Colbert when he was on the Stephen Colbert show.
Stone said he didn't expect the host to hand him an award while he was on the show. My face was surprised.
Stone might be retiring, but Voyager isn't. Operators are shutting down individual systems in order to preserve power. Data from their journey is still being transmitted.
Stone said that the journey is still discovering new things despite being 40 years old.
It has been a remarkable journey, and I’m thankful to everyone around the world who has followed Voyager and joined us on this adventure.”
Ed Stone, Voyager Project Scientist.
Stone is sad and beautiful at the same time. The spaceship might live longer than humans. In the event of an unlikely encounter with another civilization, they will carry a gift even though they will run out of power.
Hope is riding on missions. It is the idea that it is all worth it. There is a future for humankind. The world was different in 1977.
The west was locked into the cold war with the soviets Their arsenal of nuclear weapons grew larger and they devised more technologically ingenious ways to deliver them to each other. People were worried about nuclear accidents, and there were predictions about the environment.
Personal home computers were available for sale, the first test flight of the Space Shuttle took place, and there was a release of Star Wars in 1977.
There has been a lot of activity since the launch of the spaceship. Stone is reflecting on how the world has changed over time. It has been a great journey for Stone.
Stone has been the project scientist for the Voyager project for half a century. The mission has succeeded beyond expectations and I have enjoyed working with so many talented and dedicated people on it. It has been an amazing journey and I am thankful to everyone who has been a part of it.
Thanks Ed, from all of us who are hopeful about humankind.
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