Voyager spacecraft

We cast this message into the cosmos. Of the 200 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy, some, perhaps many; may have inhabited planets and space faring civilizations. If one such civilization intercepts Voyager and can understand the recorded contents, here is our message:

This is a present from a small distant world, a token of our sounds, our science, our images, our music our thoughts and our feelings.

We are attempting to survive our time so we may live into yours. We hope some day, having solved the problems we face, to join a community of Galactic Civilizations. This record represents our hope and our determination and our goodwill in a vast and awesome universe.

US President Carter's Offical Statement, The Golden Record.

                                                                                                             Credit: NASA/JPL

                                  Voyager - The Interstellar Mission

                                  Wikipedia - Voyager program

Voyager did things no one predicted, found scenes no one expected, and promises to outlive its inventors. Like a great painting or an abiding institution, it has acquired an existence of its own, a destiny beyond the grasp of its handlers. 

— Stephen J. Pyne

Voyager 1 launch commentary (after 8.12) :