[–] ArsCortica 0 points 20 points 20 points (+20|-0) ago
About time that old lardass got moving again.
In all seriousness though - the fact that this old piece of hardware still replies - nevermind the titanic distance between it and Earth atop of that - is nothing short of amazing.
[–] prairie 0 points 6 points 6 points (+6|-0) ago (edited ago)
And it's not just that the hardware is still functioning, but that they designed it so that it didn't get into some stuck state where we couldn't communicate with it anymore even though the hardware was undamaged. How long does your cellphone/computer go without needing a reboot?
[–] this_is_my_4th_acct 3 points -3 points 0 points (+0|-3) ago
How many more processes are occurring on your phone vs the satellites thrusters?
[–] littul_kitton 1 point 8 points 9 points (+9|-1) ago
PLZ NIGGA. PLZ.
American technology and science is still great. The New Horizons spacecraft recently flew past Pluto and discovered that it is a world of wonders, with mile wide mountains of water ice floating in a sea of frozen nitrogen. Next visit will be to a mysterious Kuiper belt object. The American-led LIGO gravitational wave observatory has recently verified Einstein's theory of general relativity, proven that gravitational waves travel at the speed of light, and is able to observe a significant fraction of the visible universe.
The real problem with the recent misrule is that scientific and technological progress almost stopped. It's a exponential growth curve, so slowing it down is a Big Deal to our grandchildren.
[–] derram 0 points 9 points 9 points (+9|-0) ago
After 37 years, Voyager 1 has fired up its trajectory thrusters | Ars Technica
'"The Voyager team got more excited each time with each milestone in the thruster test. '
'This week, the scientists and engineers on the Voyager team did something very special. '
'Then, the Earth-bound spacecraft team had to wait another 19 hours and 35 minutes to see if the spacecraft responded. '
'In recent decades, Voyager had been relying on its primary thrusters to keep the spacecraft properly oriented so that it can maintain a communications link with Earth. '
'At present, the Voyager 1 spacecraft is 21 billion kilometers from Earth, or about 141 times the distance between the Earth and Sun. '
[–] UkeleleDriveTrain 0 points 31 points 31 points (+31|-0) ago
So awesome. We need more reminders of how awesome humans can be.
[–] eatmorealmonds 0 points 11 points 11 points (+11|-0) ago
I'm a woman and I agree. Remember how Obama shut down the space shuttle program in Florida. I don't even live there but the space program was part of my childhood and I was so pissed. That was our first clue about shutting down whitey. I hate to go there but looking back it's as plain as day.
[–] johnny2shoes 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago
You ever do buissness when Shenzhen? Fuck Shenzhen.