NASA Sent a Map into Space for Aliens 50 Years Ago
In 1972, NASA sent a map into space with the Pioneer 10 spacecraft, developed by astrophysicists Carl Sagan and Frank Drake. This map aimed to help any aliens who might come across it find their way to Earth. Now, 50 years later, the map is being redesigned to be more accurate and durable (NASA).
The original map from the 1970s is quite well-known. Its imagery has been featured on t-shirts and even tattooed on some people's bodies. This map included drawings of friendly humans and directions for extraterrestrials (ETs) to locate Earth.
The Creation of the Original Map
The idea for the map arose while NASA was planning to send the Pioneer 10 spacecraft to Jupiter. This mission would not only make Pioneer 10 the first spacecraft to reach the largest planet in our solar system but also the first to travel beyond our solar system. Carl Sagan and Frank Drake saw this as an opportunity to send a greeting from humanity, showcasing that we are friendly. They also thought it prudent to include a map so that anyone who might find it could determine Earth's location. Since they assumed aliens wouldn't speak English, the message was depicted through drawings, including a man and a woman waving, etched into a gold plate. The map's design was based on pulsars—highly magnetized, rotating neutron stars that emit beams of electromagnetic radiation.
Issues with the Original Map
The original map had several issues. Firstly, the likelihood of it ever being discovered by aliens is very slim. Secondly, even if it were found, it could be highly inaccurate by that time. Pulsars slow down over time, rendering the map unusable within tens of millions of years. Although this might seem like a lot of time, considering the vastness of space, we need all the time we can get for potential ETs to find a small spacecraft (NASA).
The New Map
Fortunately, Frank Drake's daughter, Nadia Drake, discovered the original drawings of the map in her parents' home. She showed them to her husband, Scott Ransom, a renowned pulsar astronomer. Recognizing the shortcomings of the original map, Ransom created a new, more accurate version without an expiration date.
This new map uses pulsars both within and outside our galaxy, the Milky Way. With the advantage of modern knowledge, Ransom utilized millisecond pulsars, which have stable orbital periods that don't change over billions of years. These pulsars also spin faster and last longer. Additionally, Ransom's map includes clusters of pulsars that orbit the Milky Way, ensuring the map's functionality for billions of years.
While the original maps (four were sent out) are still in space, no new spacecraft are scheduled to launch soon.
Is It a Good Idea?
The idea of sending a map into space has sparked debate. Some worry that unfriendly aliens might find it and cause problems for us. Others appreciate the idea of leaving a message for ETs that might discover it billions of years from now, showing that humans once existed.
