Now, Voyager

I couldn't help but be struck by the poignancy of the space-probe Voyager 1, launched 35 years ago, still travelling through space, now reported to be leaving our Solar System.  It is (probably) the first man-made item to ever leave our bit of our Galaxy.  Who knows how long it will last, or where it will end up, perhaps condemned to continue travelling for all eternity.

Now, Voyager

Farewell then, Voyager, mind how you go,

As you head off into inter-stellar space.

Launched in better times, so many years ago,

In the heat of the technology race. 

You’ve been past Jupiter and Saturn,

Which was all we expected you to do,

‘Cause Uranus and Neptune were away,

When near their orbits you travelled through. 

Thanks for all of the data you sent back,

With lots of stuff we didn’t then know,

It was all terrifically useful,

And it helped our cosmic knowledge to grow. 

You’ve been a really brave little probe,

With electronics from Seventy-Seven,

We didn’t expect you to last this long,

As we fired you up into the heavens. 

But your batteries just kept on charging,

Giving new life to you, year after year,

Now you’re leaving our solar system,

And losing all contact with us, I fear. 

Your journey’s beyond all previous limits,

And on you, our hopes for deep space are pinned.

You’ve left our Sun millions of miles behind,

No longer assisted by its strong solar wind. 

We’ve detected a change in the particles,

That surround you in your travelling,

We’re losing communication with you,

The mission’s slowly unravelling. 

As far as anyone knows, you’re unique:

Nothing else man-made has ever made it this far.

Your journey into the next solar system,

Makes you into what we’d call a real star. 

Have a good time out there in the Galaxy:

Be careful of the cosmic dust, or worse,

Whatever you encounter in the darkness,

Of that vast and infinite Universe. 

We cannot know how long might be your journey,

Or if there’s a destination out yonder,

But you’ll not be forgotten back on Earth,

However long you might finally wander.

If there’s other life out there to be found,

In the emptiness of many light-years,

Remember – you’re not lost, just travelling,

Carrying humanity’s hopes and its fears.

Copyright Andy Fawthrop 2012