Ed Stone, a pioneering NASA scientist who served as the project scientist for the iconic Voyager missions from 1972 to 2022, passed away on June 9th at age 88.
Stone led the Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft on their “Grand Tour” of the outer planets from 1977 to 1989, making many discoveries. The probes continued exploring the outer solar system and beyond.
In 2012, Voyager 1 became the first human-made object to enter interstellar space. Voyager 2 followed in 2018. Both probes are still operational today, studying the environment between stars.
Stone had a long career in planetary science and space exploration, working on instruments for early satellites and serving as director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory from 1991-2001.
Colleagues praised Stone’s leadership of the Voyager missions and his commitment to science education.
Stone retired as Voyager’s project scientist in 2022 after 50 years in the role, saying it had been an honor and joy to work on the mission. His legacy has had a profound impact on NASA and the world.
Source: Space
