Buzz
In 1977, NASA launched the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 probes into space without a specific destination. Their mission was to explore, send data back to Earth, and potentially deliver a message from humanity to any extraterrestrial beings they might encounter.
Almost four decades later, Voyager 1 has entered interstellar space. Both probes remain in contact with Earth and still carry the meticulously selected sounds of life on our planet, stored on the Golden Records. Now, you have the chance to listen to and own the only government-approved playlist intended for extraterrestrials.
The Voyager Golden Record: 40th Anniversary Edition is a Kickstarter project that has surpassed its funding goal within days. This box set replicates the original phonograph records curated by Carl Sagan and his team, featuring a diverse collection of sounds from Beethoven to birdsong. (As noted by The New York Times, even Sagan didn’t receive a copy.) The audio, totaling around two hours, is being remastered by the original producer, Timothy Ferris, to ensure the highest sound quality and preservation.
For $98, you can own a set featuring three heavyweight translucent gold vinyl LPs, a hardcover book containing images from the original Golden Records, photos captured by the probes, essays, and additional project-related content. The set also includes a digital download card and a lithograph of the iconic Golden Record cover diagram, printed with gold metallic ink on archival-quality paper.
The campaign is open for contributions until October 20, allowing you to reserve one of these exclusive box sets. Given the high production costs for the reissue, the team notes on the Kickstarter page that the majority of the funds will be allocated to production, licensing, and royalties.
To explore the set in greater detail and discover more, watch the video below.
