Voyager 2 Loses Contact with Earth, But Hope Remains

Voyager 2, one of the most iconic spacecraft in history, lost contact with Earth on July 21, 2023. This was due to a series of planned commands that inadvertently caused the spacecraft to point its antenna away from Earth. As a result, the stream of data from Voyager 2 is bounding off into space instead of linking up with the Deep Space Network.

The loss of contact with Voyager 2 is a temporary setback, but NASA is confident that it will be able to re-establish contact with the spacecraft in October. Voyager 2 is programmed to reset its orientation several times a year to keep the antenna pointed toward Earth. The next reset is scheduled for October 15, 2023. If all goes well, NASA will be able to re-establish contact with the spacecraft at that time.

In the meantime, Voyager 2 is continuing on its journey through interstellar space. It is currently about 12.3 billion miles (19.7 billion kilometers) from Earth and traveling at a speed of about 38,000 miles per hour (61,000 kilometers per hour). It is expected to continue operating for many years to come.

Why Arthur C. Clarke Thought Buddhism Would Survive into the Future

Sir Arthur C. Clarke was a science fiction author who was also interested in Buddhism. He said that he was a "crypto-Buddhist," which means that he didn't identify as a Buddhist, but he found the philosophy to be very appealing. He said that he liked the way that Buddhism emphasized the importance of personal experience and that it didn't require any belief in a supernatural being.

Sci-fi fans gather to remember the man who saw the future

A long, long way from the last resting place of the one who showed them the light, the faithful are gathering. As Arthur C Clarke is buried in his adopted home of Sri Lanka today, those who followed his words are meeting and remembering – at Heathrow.

And these being fans of science fiction, they come in all shapes and sizes. They come as Klingons. They come as Daleks. They come to celebrate a genre that has produced a group of followers that are as strange as some of the storylines.

Every year they gather to discuss what is new in the world beyond our own. But Orbital 2008, Britain's 59th annual National Science Fiction Convention, which started yesterday, is dominated by the death of Clarke last week. And that has meant a hastily re-arranged programme to celebrate the legendary figure's achievements with a series of talks and lectures.