Ever Thought of Leaving A Time Capsule For Someone?

Here is a little time capsule story.

On this day in 1977  a NASA rocket launched Voyager II, an unmanned 1,820-pound spacecraft, from Cape Canaveral, Florida.   Aboard Voyager II was a 12-inch LP called “Sounds of Earth.”. It was the brainchild of astronomer Carl Sagan.  Intended as a kind of introductory time capsule, the record included greetings in 60 languages and scientific information about Earth and the human race, along with classical, jazz and rock ‘n’ roll music, nature sounds like thunder and surf, and recorded messages from President Jimmy Carter and other world leaders.

The record was sent with Voyager II in the faint hope that it might one day be discovered by extraterrestrial creatures. The record was sealed in an aluminum jacket that would keep it intact for 1 billion years, along with instructions on how to play the record, with a cartridge and needle provided.

Well as it turns out data from Voyager II is still being received and will be until at least 2025. Meanwhile as far I know, there has been no response from the time capsule! Maybe ET is still trying to buy a turntable! Or maybe the government is keeping all the responses from us!

Still, time capsules have always intrigued me. On the occasion of my niece’s child’s christening, I started a time capsule for her with pictures of everyone attending, a letter from me (her great uncle) and a little ETF fund that I purchased  for on the very day to assist with her college education. She is to unseal it on her 18th birthday. I hope she gets a kick out of it in 2040!  Maybe we will have heard back from Voyager II’s capsule by then:)

Source:  On This Day in History

Photo:  pixabay.com