As an experiment representative for Voyager instruments, I had the opportunity to work on a scan platform alongside my colleagues Candy Hansen and Sue Linick. We were all instrumental in shaping the Voyager mission’s success, with Candy working on the Imaging Science Subsystem, Sue on the Ultraviolet Spectrometer, and Bob Nelson on the Photopolarimeter.
Our shared experience of working on Voyager not only shaped our professional journeys but also played a role in our personal milestones. For me, the plot of Voyager had a significant impact on my life, influencing not only my career but also the timing of my children’s births. I often joke with my daughters, Jennifer and Jessica, that the planets aligned for their arrival in our family during a five-year window between the Voyager flybys of Saturn in 1981 and Uranus in 1986.
Interestingly, the same timing applied to other Voyager moms like my friends Candy Hansen and Sue Linick, who also started their families during this period. As a result, our children grew up together, forming strong bonds as they navigated childhood alongside each other. The shared experience of working on Voyager and starting families during this time created a unique bond among us that continues to this day.
As we look back on our time as experiment representatives for Voyager instruments on a scan platform, we fully embrace the adventures and discoveries of this incredible mission that not only shaped our professional journey but also played a role in defining our personal milestones.