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aspheric_cow t1_j1uz488 wrote

Nobody expected them to be actually found by aliens. It's a public outreach project to make people think about our place in the universe.

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free_is_free76 t1_j1v54ie wrote

That is part of it, certainly. But given Carl Sagan's involvement, I think there was a genuine effort to communicate. No matter how infinitesimal the chance of it being recovered by aliens are, it is (besides radio waves) our only ambassador to the galaxy, and I believe he took that role of Voyager very seriously.

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DaddyCatALSO t1_j1v6uws wrote

But it is aimed at empty space

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free_is_free76 t1_j1vcwce wrote

Ellie Arroway: You know, there are four hundred billion stars out there, just in our galaxy alone. If only one out of a million of those had planets, and just of out of a million of those had life, and just one out of a million of those had intelligent life; there would be literally millions of civilizations out there.

Palmer Joss: [looking the night sky] Well, if there wasn't, it'll be an awful waste of space.

Ellie Arroway: [looking him] Amen.

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aspheric_cow t1_j1vk2pz wrote

Carl Sagan's involvement actually makes me think the main purpose was to educate the public about the possibility of extraterrestrial life, rather than a serious attempt at communicating with them.

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MaxAnita t1_j1v3xwn wrote

As you say this, some giant spaceship is opening its slow space door and beaming the items in the ship.

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aspheric_cow t1_j1v557s wrote

The Voyager spacecraft are about 0.0025 light-years away. Seems impolite for them to come so close to Earth and stop short there.

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capodecina2 t1_j1v886h wrote

if it was my brother, he would do exactly this. Drive halfway across the country, end up an hour or so away, not bother to drop by and say hey. tell us he was in town when he was already on the way back.

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vithrell t1_j1v6dy4 wrote

Prime directive makes them wait until it stops transmitting.

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hematomasectomy t1_j1v6g5k wrote

Perhaps they are ... observing.

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capodecina2 t1_j1v8ikl wrote

Florida alone would make anyone take a hard pass on this entire solar system. Including the people who already live in it.

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MaxAnita t1_j1v63ak wrote

Maybe the Aliens don’t want anyone to find us…..

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