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There is so much cool stuff in this article. The engineers stuck in the 70s with modern tools to aid them, but that only gets them so far. The love and dedicati

There is so much cool stuff in this article. The engineers stuck in the 70s with modern tools to aid them, but that only gets them so far. The love and dedication to this spacecraft. These engineers believe in the mission of space so deeply they married themselves to Voyager. A marriage more substantial than many real marriages. Just thinking about this dedication and how space exploration is, in my opinion, one of the few ways we can truly advance as a species beyond our ruts here on Earth gave me chills. There is something, existential, poetic, and sad about the lonely work these engineers have done for so long. If you didn't read this article the portraits of the engineers and snapshots of the lives is moving.

rootbear 9y ago
I love the Voyagers and I'm very happy that there are people dedicated to keeping us in contact with them as long as they last. These Engineers are splendid examples of taking the long view, something we could use more of these days.
- wjnc 9y ago
  For me the article has a somewhat sad component (next to technological awesomeness): "In retirement, Zottarelli told me, he would like to see Florida again. He wonders how it has changed. In his garage is a 1954 Swallow Doretti, a fixer-upper. ‘‘It probably needs new brakes,’’ he said. I asked him if there was anywhere he liked to drive for fun. ‘‘No,’’ he replied. ‘‘Not anymore.’’" Imagine that's your grandfather. With his expertise, shouldn't he be able to 'see Florida twice a year'? I would have wished for a way to have both this awesome technological specialization over long stretches of time, but also given the people on the program some more time to go their own ways. And then the toll of being in the same hierarchy for 30+ years. Ack. But perhaps these people self-selected for stoicism, who am I to judge ;)
  - secstate 9y ago
    That's a really well made point. And for what it's worth, stoicism doesn't ask you to never travel or have fun :) The most depressing line for me was him effectively waiting (albeit in a joking manner) for his second stroke. No one should be worked to the point of fatalism. On the one hand I love the team's dedication. On the other hand, I don't think it's just competitive pay that keeps young engineers out of that office. I imagine that the energy and excitement in the early 80s does not really exist anymore, and it's not fair to dump on young engineers for wanting that energy where they work.
    - mturmon 9y ago
      The younger engineers ar JPL might rather work on Mars 2020: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/mars-2020/ https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/mars-2020/ One of the proposed instruments is a 1kg helicopter. * They have tried to build a pipeline with the Mars exploration missions, in which senior people can move from mission to mission, and younger people can train up on older, mature missions before they move to newer ones. This pipeline did not really exist with the Voyagers.

rootbear 9y ago

I love the Voyagers and I'm very happy that there are people dedicated to keeping us in contact with them as long as they last. These Engineers are splendid examples of taking the long view, something we could use more of these days.

wjnc 9y ago
For me the article has a somewhat sad component (next to technological awesomeness): "In retirement, Zottarelli told me, he would like to see Florida again. He wonders how it has changed. In his garage is a 1954 Swallow Doretti, a fixer-upper. ‘‘It probably needs new brakes,’’ he said. I asked him if there was anywhere he liked to drive for fun. ‘‘No,’’ he replied. ‘‘Not anymore.’’" Imagine that's your grandfather. With his expertise, shouldn't he be able to 'see Florida twice a year'? I would have wished for a way to have both this awesome technological specialization over long stretches of time, but also given the people on the program some more time to go their own ways. And then the toll of being in the same hierarchy for 30+ years. Ack. But perhaps these people self-selected for stoicism, who am I to judge ;)
- secstate 9y ago
  That's a really well made point. And for what it's worth, stoicism doesn't ask you to never travel or have fun :) The most depressing line for me was him effectively waiting (albeit in a joking manner) for his second stroke. No one should be worked to the point of fatalism. On the one hand I love the team's dedication. On the other hand, I don't think it's just competitive pay that keeps young engineers out of that office. I imagine that the energy and excitement in the early 80s does not really exist anymore, and it's not fair to dump on young engineers for wanting that energy where they work.
  - mturmon 9y ago
    The younger engineers ar JPL might rather work on Mars 2020: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/mars-2020/ https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/mars-2020/ One of the proposed instruments is a 1kg helicopter. * They have tried to build a pipeline with the Mars exploration missions, in which senior people can move from mission to mission, and younger people can train up on older, mature missions before they move to newer ones. This pipeline did not really exist with the Voyagers.