Voyager Golden Record

space exploration · time capsule · communication

Launched with Voyager. Two identical golden records were sent into space aboard the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft in 1977. They're still traveling through space today, carrying messages from Earth farther than any human-made object ever.

Sounds of Earth. The records include music, greetings in 55 languages, and natural sounds like ocean waves, wind, and animal calls. Scientists wanted to show an alien visitor what life on our planet is really like.

Pictures encoded. The records contain special data that can be converted back into images to show what Earth looks like. These include pictures of people, buildings, food, and landscapes from around the world.

Message from humanity. Carl Sagan and other scientists chose the contents to represent humanity's best art, music, and achievements. It was meant to be a friendly hello from Earth to whoever might discover it.

Time capsule in space. The records are like a message in a bottle, but floating through the stars instead of the ocean. They'll keep traveling for billions of years, a permanent record of Earth from 1977.