If there’s one kind of story I’m a sucker for, it’s the has-been-makes-a-comeback. You know the formula: a once-great hero (i.e. athlete/cop/musician/artist) is down on his luck. They’re disrespected, lonely, and all but forgotten. But then, with the help of a much younger and optimistic (or older and wiser) companion, the hero gets a burst of inspiration. They discover that they still have vast, untapped powers, and through great discipline, courage, and sacrifice, they focus those powers on a new challenge. Then, at the climax of the tale, they face that challenge and triumph.
I have, of course, just described every single Rocky movie (yes, even Rocky II) as well as 10% of all the Hollywood movies ever made. My favorite cinematic example is a little movie from 2005 called The World’s Fastest Indian, starring Anthony Hopkins. But I tend to like any variation of the formula, even the most banal and overused variety.
This predilection probably explains the pleasure I experienced when reading this story about Voyager 2, the space probe that launched 45 years ago, back when Carl Sagan was doing billions and billions of TV interviews about the mission and how much great science it would deliver. He was right, of course. Voyager 2 represented a pinnacle of human intelligence and cooperation. And, through another round of human intelligence and cooperation, it just got a new lease on life. Apparently, through some clever engineering, NASA scientists have figured out a way to tap into the power supply of an unused mechanism on the probe (yes, unused powers!) and extend the mission several more years.
Just think of it—Voyager 2 hasn’t been touched by human hands since 1977, when Jimmy Carter was president. And yet it has continued observing and transmitting and rotating and maneuvering for all those years. And it ain’t done yet…!
If that isn’t inspiring, I don’t know what is.
Ash Clifton, Writer 