Last chance for Australians to send message to the universe on Voyager project’s 50th anniversary

Australians have a unique opportunity this week to contribute to a once-in-a-lifetime event marking the 50th anniversary of NASA’s Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 missions — an initiative inspired by the iconic Golden Record project and designed to let ordinary people send messages to the cosmos.
The deadline to participate is fast approaching, and organizers are urging citizens to submit their brief messages via a dedicated online platform before the window closes. The commemorative project — backed by international space partners — aims to honor the legacy of the Voyager probes while celebrating humanity’s curiosity, creativity, and desire to connect across the stars.
A Milestone Mission
Launched in 1977, the twin Voyager spacecraft have become two of the most enduring icons in space exploration. Both probes, equipped with instruments to measure cosmic rays, magnetic fields, and planetary environments, provided groundbreaking data about the outer planets — including Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Decades later, Voyager 1 entered interstellar space in 2012, becoming the farthest-flung human-made object in existence.
In addition to their scientific payloads, the Voyagers carry the Golden Records — phonograph discs containing sounds and images selected to portray the diversity of life and culture on Earth. The message capsules were intended as a cosmic handshake, aimed at any intelligent life that might one day encounter them.
This anniversary initiative taps into that spirit of cosmic communication, inviting people around the world to submit short texts reflecting “our hopes, stories, and reflections for the universe.”
Australia’s Role in Space
Australia plays a critical role in the continuing operation of the Voyager missions. The **CSIRO’s Deep Space Communication Complex near Canberra has long been part of NASA’s Deep Space Network, providing vital tracking, telemetry and command support for deep-space missions.
The Canberra station, alongside sister installations in California and Spain, helps maintain communication with Voyager 1 and 2 across billions of miles. Australian engineers and scientists have tracked the probes’ faint radio signals and relayed commands for decades — a contribution that underscores the nation’s importance in global space efforts.
Given this deep connection, space advocates in Australia have embraced the anniversary initiative with enthusiasm, organizing community events, educational talks, and media campaigns encouraging participation in the global message project.
What Participants Are Saying
The response from Australians has been enthusiastic. Teachers are bringing message workshops into classrooms, families are crafting messages together, and social media campaigns have encouraged submissions ranging from poetic expressions to heartfelt messages of hope.
“I wrote something about unity and the beauty of our shared home,” said one participant from Sydney. “It’s amazing to think that in some far-off future, someone — or something — might read it.”
Others have used the opportunity to highlight pressing global issues, such as climate change, sustainability, and peace. Organizers have placed no restrictions on the message content aside from a character limit, encouraging creativity while keeping messages concise.
The Submission Process
Interested Australians must visit the official anniversary platform, create a brief message (a few hundred characters at most), and submit it before the deadline. The message will then be curated as part of an international repository — a symbolic digital archive that celebrates humanity’s collective voice on this milestone.
While the messages won’t be physically launched aboard spacecraft, organizers say the archive will be preserved and shared through digital channels, space museums, and public exhibits around the world.
“It’s a symbolic tribute to one of humanity’s greatest technological achievements,” said a representative from the organizing committee. “Everyone gets a chance to contribute to this intergenerational conversation.”
Looking Ahead
As the Voyager probes continue their journey into the depths of interstellar space — powered by diminishing but enduring nuclear energy sources — they carry not only instruments of science but also human imagination. Their longevity continues to defy expectations, and their data provides scientists with unprecedented insights into the space beyond our solar system.
For Australians and global citizens alike, the anniversary is both a celebration and a reminder: humanity’s reach extends far beyond our planet, and even the smallest message can be part of something much larger.
With just days left to submit contributions, organizers are urging last-minute participation — a final chance to add personal reflections to a global tribute to one of the most remarkable achievements in the history of exploration.