Why Our Hearts Shrink As Voyager Travels Further

Voyager Mission

     In In the late 1960s, an astronomical luck was predicted. It was the arrival of a rare 176-year cycle where all the outer planets, from Jupiter to Neptune, would align in a fan-like formation. Utilizing this phenomenon would enable “gravity assist” maneuvers, as seen in science fiction movies such as The Martian and Interstellar. “Gravity assist” maneuvers make it possible to explore all four planets in a single journey with minimal fuel. Scientists seized this opportunity and named the ambitious project the “Grand Tour.”

     However, the grand dream was soon blocked by budget cuts because of the Vietnam War and the Cold War arms race. While the nation’s attention was consumed by the technologies of destruction, scientists refused to give up since they knew that this might be the only chance for humanity. So, they pivoted by cleverly hiding their dream, sneaking true ambitions into sight. They secured a budget stating that they would visit only Jupiter and Saturn. Yet the engineers refused to settle for the goals written on paper. Dreaming of the eventual completion of the ”Grand Tour,” they secretly refined Voyager 2, strengthening its heart and muscles to endure the harsh conditions of Uranus and Neptune. This was the beginning of the Voyager program—the launch of humanity’s greatest wanderer.

Golden Record: Beauty of Humanity

     When we witness something breathtakingly beautiful, does anyone truly think of borders or ideology? At least, the Golden Record committee led by Carl Sagan, an astronomer and writer, did not. As the rockets carrying Voyager 1 and 2 split the atmosphere bravely with spewing golden flames, they carried a gold-plated record shining “more golden than” the fire itself. It was called “Golden Record,” designed to withstand an eternity of a billion years. This golden disc was an identity card for humanity cast into the vast ocean of interstellar space.

     Inside the record, there were 115 images, the sounds of Earth, and 90 minutes of music. It captured everything from moments of drinking water and eating fruit to fragments of everyday life like shopping at a supermarket or being stuck in rush-hour traffic. Also containing all alongside the universal languages of physics, chemistry, and mathematics. The interesting part is that these records were never the exclusive property of a single faction. Among the greetings in 55 languages, warm greetings of the Soviet Union and China, which were the rivals of the United States at the time, were included side-by-side. Those who pointed guns at each other on the ground were defined simply as neighbors living together in a house called Earth upon this golden disc heading into the stars.

Golden Record: Last Will of Humanity

     Ironically, while the Golden Record was filled with the beauty of humanity, it also served as our last will and testament. The 1970s were the era of Mutually Assured Destruction(MAD), in which the nuclear arsenals of superpowers threatened to annihilate one another. With American bombers on constant standby and Soviet missile bases being established in Cuba, the world lived on a knife-edge. Carl Sagan was acutely aware that if a fatal miscalculation occurred, every building, library, and museum would be turned to ash, and the Golden Record would be the only surviving trace of our existence.

     Let’s think about it this way: Imagine you must write a self-introduction on a limited number of pages. By the time that message is delivered, you might no longer exist. In that case, would you choose to write about whom you hated or the petty battles you fought?

     Scientists decided to apply makeup to the face of humanity. They carefully hid our scars, such as the Cold War, the divisions, and the strife, while highlighting our greatest achievements. As a result, within the Golden Record, Soviet composers and American rock-and-roll stars sing side-by-side, and there is no mention of war, famine, or conflicting ideologies. It captures a society that everybody will agree that’s ideal. Today, this cold will, carrying a burning hope, continues to fly through the frozen void of space, propelled by the searing heat of its thrusters.

Return to an Age of Division

     Ironically, the brief season of peace, where we thought the walls of ideology had finally crumbled, has passed, and the deepening shadows of a New Cold War are once again dividing and fragmenting the world. Here, we face the “Paradox of Distance.”

     As Voyager drifted further from Earth, this Great Traveler worked tirelessly over time to send back data from the depths of interstellar space. Thanks to its efforts, our physical horizons have expanded further than ever before. Yet, paradoxically, the emotional space to embrace one another is only shrinking. It seems that while our knowledge has increased, our wisdom has shrunk.

     Fifty years have slipped by, and the Great Traveler’s power is flickering out, one by one. Yet, one truth remains as immutable as it was half a century ago: no matter how much we engage in mud-slinging battles on this tiny planet, we have no other home to escape to. Reflect again on the “Pale Blue Dot” captured by Voyager 1 as it turned its gaze back from 6 billion kilometers away. Within that minuscule 0.12-pixel speck, no borders, no ideological walls, and no flames of conflict were visible.

     Fifty years ago, humanity possessed enough magnanimity to pack the greetings and songs of even its “hated rivals” into this traveler’s bag. Now, as our connection with Voyager prepares to sever and it drifts into eternal silence, we must answer the final question it sends back to us: “Where did our once-vast hearts disappear to?” “Will we leave the Great Traveler even more lonely and cold?”

Kim Jung-su(ST Reporter)

jungsutudy2160@soongsil.ac.kr