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Voyager Space deepens India ties for commercial space station plans

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He said Voyager is working with multiple undisclosed providers to supply crew and cargo services for Starlab, which would use a standard docking system aiming to be compatible with various spacecraft.

Jason Rainbow

Jason Rainbow writes about satellite telecom, space finance and commercial markets for SpaceNews. He has spent more than a decade covering the global space industry as a business journalist. Previously, he was Group Editor-in-Chief for Finance Information... More by Jason Rainbow

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The legacy of the Voyager mission

Nasa detected a signal from its voyager 2 spacecraft on august 1, after losing communication for over a week. launched 46 years ago, voyager 2 is currently in interstellar space. along with voyager 1, it has provided invaluable data and inspired future space missions..

More than a week after the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) lost communication with Earth ’s longest-running space probe, Voyager 2, the space agency detected a “heartbeat” signal from the spacecraft on Tuesday (August 1).

Although too faint for extraction of data, the detected signal confirms that Voyager 2, which is about 19.9 billion kilometres away from Earth, is still operating.

On July 21, a faulty command sent to the probe caused its antenna to point 2 degrees away from Earth. “As a result, Voyager 2 is currently unable to receive commands or transmit data back to Earth,” a statement released by NASA on Wednesday said.

Launched around 46 years ago, Voyager 2 is the second spacecraft to enter interstellar space — the region that lies outside the impact of our Sun’s constant flow of material and magnetic field. The first was Voyager 1, sent to space about two weeks after Voyager 2 (yes, Voyager 1 was launched after Voyager 2).

Between them, the two probes have explored all the outer giant planets of our solar system and discovered over 40 moons and numerous rings. They have provided invaluable data on planetary astronomy, and inspired many future space missions.

Why were the Voyager spacecraft sent into space?

In 1972, NASA cancelled its plans of exploring the five outer planets (Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune) with four highly complex spacecraft — the proposal, estimated to cost $ 1 billion, was scrapped due to budgetary constraints.

Instead, it proposed to send the Voyager probes, initially slated to explore only Jupiter and Saturn. In 1974, however, it was decided that if one spacecraft completes the mission, the other one would be redirected towards Uranus and then Neptune.

Interestingly, the spacecraft were scheduled for a take-off towards the end of the 1970s for a reason. According to a report by Scientific American, NASA chose the particular launch window to take advantage of a rare alignment of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune that occurs once every 175 years.

“The alignment allowed the spacecraft to harness the gravity of each planet and swing from one to the next using relatively minimal amounts of fuel. NASA first demonstrated the technique with its Mariner 10 mission to Venus and Mercury from 1973 to 1975,” the report said.

Voyager 2 was launched on August 20, 1977, two weeks before the September 5 Voyager 1 takeoff. This reversal of order took place as the two spacecraft were put on different trajectories — Voyager 1 was set on a path to reach Jupiter and Saturn, ahead of Voyager 2.

What are the features of the Voyager spacecraft?

Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 are identical spacecraft. Each of them is equipped with instruments to carry out 10 different experiments. The instruments include television cameras — to take images of planets and other celestial bodies — infrared and ultraviolet sensors, magnetometers, plasma detectors, and cosmic-ray and charged-particle sensors.

Both spacecraft feature a large antenna, 3.7 metres in diameter, which is used to receive commands from Earth and radio their findings back to the planet. As their mission involved going far away from the Sun, they aren’t powered by solar power, like other spacecraft are. “Instead, Voyager relies on a small nuclear power plant, drawing hundreds of watts from the radioactive decay of a pellet of plutonium,” writes American astronomer Carl Sagan, who played a leading role in the Voyager mission, in his book Cosmos .

Notably, each Voyager spacecraft is adorned with a golden phonograph record — a 12-inch disc, intended to be a sort of time capsule from Earth to any extraterrestrial life that might intercept the probes in the distant future.

“The covers of the records have several images inscribed, including visual instructions on how to play them, a map of our solar system’s location with respect to a set of 14 pulsars, and a drawing of a hydrogen atom. They are plated with uranium – its rate of decay will allow any future discoverers of either of the records to calculate when they were created,” a report by The Planetary Society said.

Moreover, the records’ content, selected for NASA by a committee chaired by Carl Sagan, includes 115 analogue-encoded images, a variety of natural sounds, such as those made by surf, wind and thunder, birds, whales, and other animals, musical selections from different cultures and eras, and spoken greetings from Earth-people in 55 languages, and printed messages from then US President Jimmy Carter.

What are the most notable achievements of the Voyager spacecraft?

Fifteen months after its launch, Voyager 1 reached its first target planet, Jupiter, on March 5, 1979, and was soon followed by Voyager 2, which arrived there on July 9. The most interesting discoveries made by Voyager 1 included the finding that Io, one of Jupiter’s moons, was geologically active. The spacecraft noted the presence of at least eight active volcanoes “spewing material into space, making it one of the most (if not the most) geologically active planetary bodies in the solar system,” another report by NASA said.

Moreover, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 discovered three new moons of Jupiter: Thebe, Metis and Adrastea.

Following the Jupiter encounter, the spacecraft, one by one, moved towards Saturn. While passing by the planet’s moon Titan, Voyager 1 discovered that it wasn’t the biggest moon of our solar system, contrary to what scientists of the time believed — “the diameter of the solid centre was found (through radio signals) to be smaller than Jupiter’s Ganymede”, a BBC report noted. The spacecraft also noted that Titan’s atmosphere was composed of 90 per cent nitrogen, and it likely had clouds and rain of methane.

After the Saturn expedition, as Voyager 1 headed on a trajectory to escape the solar system, Voyager 2 was redirected towards Uranus — both probes had fulfilled their primary mission goals but scientists kept them operational for further exploration.

Voyager 2 arrived at Uranus in 1986, becoming the first human-made object to fly past the aquamarine planet. The spacecraft took stunning photographs and confirmed that the main constituents of Uranus are hydrogen and helium. It also discovered 10 new moons and two new rings in addition to the previously-known nine rings, among other significant findings.

Then, the probe went to Neptune. Becoming the first human-made object to fly by the planet in 1989, Voyager 2 made some more notable discoveries there. Apart from finding new moons and rings, it discovered that Neptune is more active than previously thought — winds on the planet blow at the speed of 1,100 kph. The spacecraft also observed the Great Dark Spot, which was essentially a huge spinning storm in the southern atmosphere of Neptune and it was about the size of the entire Earth.

After the Neptune encounter, Voyager 2, like Voyager 1, was put on the path to head out of the solar system. While Voyager 1 officially entered interstellar space in August 2012, Voyager 2 made its entry in November 2018.

“These exits were instrumental in enabling astronomers to determine where exactly the edge of interstellar space is, something that’s difficult to measure from within the solar system. They showed that interstellar space begins just over 18 billion kilometres from the sun,” The Planetary Society report said.

Although most of the instruments on the spacecraft aren’t operational, Voyager probes have been transmitting data back to Earth over the years — it is only after the recent glitch that Voyager 2 has stopped sending back the data but scientists hope to regain full communication with the spacecraft soon. But eventually, there will not be enough electricity to power both probes. After that, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 will silently continue their journey among the stars.

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A Guide to the Marriott Voyage Application & Interview Process in the U.S. and Canada

September 11, 2023  — Morgan Gibson Kanner

In case you aren’t familiar with Voyage, it’s our award-winning global leadership development program for recent college graduates. The program, which is typically 12 months in the U.S. (though it can run longer) and Canada and can be up to 18 months internationally, places participants (dubbed Voyagers) in hotels around the world to receive hands-on experience and training.

→ An Overview of Marriott’s U.S. and Canada Voyage Program → Interview Advice & Tips for Hopeful Voyage Applicants

Interested in applying? With the help of two Marriott experts, we’ve crafted a guide to the U.S. and Canada’s Voyage application and interview process. Experts:

• Sarah D’Angelo, Director, Talent Acquisition + University Recruitment
• Michael Wiszowaty, Senior Manager, University Relations + Recruiting

Take a look below so you can know what to expect as you apply to be a US or CA Voyager .

What is the Marriott Voyage application process?

1. applications open.

Michael: Voyage applications open just as the new school year kicks off ( they’re open now !) and will be open until the end of April of the same academic calendar. The sooner you apply, the better — many locations and disciplines may have already been selected if you wait.

Michael: As soon as the applications are open, you can apply. It doesn’t take long, and you are able to apply in multiple sittings, but please ensure that you attach your resume and fill out your university on the application.

3. Record Video Interviews

Sarah: Just 15 minutes after you submit your application, you’ll receive an email prompt to complete a pre-recorded video interview, answering questions like, “why do you want to work for us?” and “what skills make you qualified for this position?” Hopefully this isn’t intimidating, but you should dress up and treat it like a real interview. Remember, we can also see your background!

4. Submit preferences for location + department

Sarah: We might not have the exact position you’re looking for in the exact location you want, so really think about — is my city of choice more important, or my department of choice? Am I flexible at all? Your initial choices aren’t set in stone — your recruiter will discuss your preferences multiple times throughout the process to ensure we’ve got the right fit for you.

5. Complete the online leadership skills assessment

Sarah: This takes about 30 minutes. We recommend doing this in a quiet place, free of distractions, and approaching the assessment as if you were already a manager.

6. Interviews

Sarah: If you’re selected to move to the next step, you’ll receive communication from that recruiter to schedule your interview — in most cases this is via email for a virtual interview. It is possible that your recruiter may be coming to your campus; in that case, you may meet them first and schedule your interview in person.

What are the Marriott Voyage interviews like?

Sarah: Marriott asks “behavioral based” interviewing questions; a strong answer typically follows the “STAR” format: Situation, Task, Action, Result. During the interview, you can also talk in more detail about your preferences for department and location.

Kelly Loss Photography

How long does the whole Voyage hiring and interview process take?

Sarah: If you follow the guidance of your recruiter and complete all steps in a timely manner, you could complete the whole process within two weeks! Technically, you could get an offer during your senior year well in advance of your graduation date, which feels good knowing that you have a job lined up and can truly enjoy being a senior, rather than having to scramble to get a job around your graduation date.

What happens when a candidate is selected to be a Marriott Voyager?

Michael: Congratulations! If you have been selected to become a Marriott Voyager, you are joining an elite program that will help you accelerate your Marriott career! Once you are offered a position as a Voyager you will be placed in the discipline and location that you had discussed with your recruiter throughout your interview process. Depending upon your start date, you will be connected with your property leader to go over any property logistics and timelines before your first day. If you’re relocating for Voyage, you’ll be connected with Marriott’s relocation team to help move your belongings to your new city. Lastly, you will be connected with other Voyagers in your city, so that you can start building your new Marriott network!

When do applications close?

Sarah: We take applications throughout the fall semester, and generally, if you’re ready, it’s recommended that you apply early. Positions are discussed and offered on a rolling basis, so your “dream job” may not be available if you wait to apply. We do take a brief pause during winter break, so know if you apply in December, you likely won’t receive an interview until January. We continue interviews throughout the spring semester, with our last interviews and offers going out usually in April.

If a candidate isn’t accepted into the program, do you recommend they apply again next year?

Michael: Absolutely! There could be many reasons why you would not have been accepted into the Marriott Voyage Program. The first thing is to not be discouraged by this. Upon discovering that you were not selected for Voyage, your Recruiting Manager will have notified you letting you know. This is a fantastic opportunity to gain more experience in the hospitality field to strengthen your resume. You can apply next year as long as your undergrad graduation was not more than two years prior. → Voyage Applications Are Open! Apply for Marriott’s Prestigious Leadership Development Program

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Ganges Voyager II Review

For the well-seasoned traveler, it's hard to find a country that exerts as much of a draw as India. Rich in fascinating culture, with a desperately poor populace, India attracts and repels simultaneously; unlike other countries on the Asian continent such as Vietnam, Myanmar (Burma) or China, it's hard to find an easy way in.

Until now. Since 2016, Uniworld has put the Ganges Voyager II under exclusive charter, offering two-week trips that combine a land tour of India's Golden Triangle cities -- Delhi, Agra and Jaipur -- with seven nights on the Ganges. (Well, sorta. The ship never gets to the Ganges proper, sailing instead on three tributaries: the Hooghly, the Jalangi and the Bhagirathi.) It's all part of the Ganges Delta, however, and within Indian culture, the rivers are considered the same as Mother Ganges.

The colonial-themed Ganges Voyager II started life under Haimark. After that company went bankrupt, ownership transferred to River Heritage Journey Line, which runs the ship operations. On every sailing, however, there's a manager reporting directly to Uniworld who stays with the vessel for the season.

With such an extensive land portion, Uniworld's offering is really two trips in one -- and the tour feels like it. The Golden Triangle part of the trip is go-go-go, with full days of excursions in busy chaotic cities, long coach trips between destinations and some of the finest luxury hotels in the world (Uniworld partners with the renowned luxury company Oberoi and the accommodations are spectacular). While the Oberoi provides a bit of a soft landing into India, you're in a luxury bubble and spend quite a bit of time viewing the country from behind a window.

The vibe changes once you reach Ganges Voyager II. Once the ship pulls away from Kolkata, you have a front-row seat to rural India, with all of its joys and peculiarities. You'll see rice paddies and river dolphins, temples and villages. The river itself is a hub of activity; Indians use it to bathe, wash clothes, bless icons, dump cremated ashes and much more. Villagers will wave at the ship -- still a new phenomenon -- from the stone ghats (steps) that lead down to the river. When you dock, you'll become an object of curiosity. While the riotous colors will tempt your camera at every turn, don't be surprised if a villager asks to take a selfie with you!

You can't mention India without talking about hygiene, or more precisely, lack thereof. The trash and sanitary conditions are shocking for Westerners and are probably the biggest barrier toward understanding the country. On the river, you'll see people drinking out of the same water where someone just defecated. Even in the largest cities, people share the road with cows, pigs, goats, dogs, and in Rajasthan, camels -- and their droppings are everywhere (in villages, the dung is formed into patties and slapped onto houses to be used as a later fuel source). It's disturbing and yes, disgusting.

Uniworld and Ganges Voyager II counter the dangers posed by the unsanitary conditions with an aggressive offense. Closed-toe shoes are recommended, and they are cleaned every time you return to the ship. Copious amounts of bottled water are handed out for drinking and toothbrushing, and staff members squirt sanitizer into your hands constantly. Passengers are warned to give street food a wide berth, and while some of the puppies on the roads look cute, you're admonished not to touch them. Though the sheer novelty of the foods you're eating might give you some tummy issues, it's easily countered by some simple medications and a day or two of bland diet from the chef.

Speaking of the chef and the rest of the staff, they enhance the Ganges Voyager II experience with good cheer and great effort. Beyond the regular waiter and steward duties, they serve as personal interpreters for Indian culture, taking part in Bollywood dance lessons, decorating women's arms and legs with henna designs and egging passengers on at the cricket bat. Ganges Voyager II has long stretches of scenic cruising, but the staff fills the downtime with enrichment activities such as lectures, cooking classes and trivia. The tour guides and tour manager, too, are top notch, with sharp senses of humor. Before the cruise, they help navigate the logistics of traveling between numerous cities with aplomb and onboard, they help make sense of the incongruities you often witness in everyday Indian life.

The unhurried pace on the river might bore the restless. But the ship, with its teak furniture, white ironwork and colorful block patterns and murals on the walls, is a destination unto itself. The upper deck is split in two, with one side consisting of a lounge with a large bar and plenty of comfy chairs and sofas, and the other an outdoor sun deck, with chairs, daybeds and loungers where you can read or snooze (much of the outdoor space is under cover, so you don't have to worry about the heat). The small spa, with both Indian and Western treatments, does brisk business at affordable prices and the in-room flat-screen TVs have documentaries about the country for those who want even more enrichment. Cabins are on the large side and while storage is a sore point, the French balconies and colorful Indian-Colonial decor make them pleasant hideaways as well.

All in all, we give high marks to Uniworld for bringing their brand of luxury, service and attention to detail to a place where daily necessities can be challenging. If you want time to relax and get into the country, in addition to seeing the more tried-and-true tourist route, Ganges Voyager II and Uniworld's itinerary will meet your expectations, and then some.

Bottom Line

Fellow passengers.

India attracts an adventurous mindset, and the demographic on Ganges Voyager II is extremely well-traveled and, given the price tag of the trip, well-heeled. Most passengers range from late 40s to early 70s, with the bulk in their 60s (although we saw a healthy 90-year-old enjoying herself!).

The ship does not have elevators and many excursions take place in towns without paved roads, so the trip is generally not suitable for those with accessibility issues or for those who need wheelchairs and scooters. River levels can fluctuate daily and the ship pulls a sampan boat to use for occasional tenders. Some docks are little more than bamboo walkways.

American passengers are the norm, with a handful of Canadians and British, although the company reports having Australians, Brazilians and New Zealanders onboard. The official language of the ship is English. Ganges Voyager II does not make any announcements onboard.

Ganges Voyager II Dress Code

Casual is the name of the game on Ganges Voyager II. During the day, women wear lightweight pants or long skirts and loose tops or T-shirts to comply with temple visitation requirements. Men also wear light pants for tours. Closed-toe shoes and socks are a must; sanitation in the villages is far from Western standards. When you get back from excursions, you leave your shoes for cleaning and change into provided slippers (the clean shoes are later left outside your cabin door).

While relaxing on deck, shorts, T-shirts and sundresses are the norm. Dinner is casual, with most women wearing simple shirts and blouses, and an occasional dress (as well as brightly colored scarves they've bought on the trip); men wear long pants and collared shirts. Even the welcome and farewell dinners are casual with no discernable change in the dress code. There's no need to bring a nice dress or sport coat for the ship.

The trip includes a domestic flight (two if you take the extension to Varanasi, which about half of the passengers do), and India airlines have strict baggage weight regulations of 15 kg (33 lbs) for checked bags and 7 kg (15 lbs.) for hand luggage. If you go over -- and many people in the group did -- it's not a tragedy, though. You simply pay an amount ranging from 500 to 1,000 rupees ($8 to $15).

At the end of the trip, Ganges Voyager II has an Indian-themed night where men and women can wear the saris, scarves and local garb they've purchased on the trip. It's a fun way to embrace the colors and style of Indian dress.

Ganges Voyager II Inclusions

While on the Ganges, Uniworld has most services included, such as shore excursions, meals and airport transfers if you booked through the company or are continuing with an extension. Local wine and beer, as well as soft drinks and some liquor brands, are included at lunch, dinner and the cocktail hour. Premium wines and liquor cost extra.

The tap water onboard is not drinkable and while you can shower in it, you shouldn't use it to wash your face or brush your teeth. The ship provides copious amounts of bottled water that is replenished constantly.

All gratuities for tour managers and crew, both onshore and off-shore, are included in the fare.

Wi-Fi is included for the entire trip, but there's a caveat: In the hotels, it's fast, unlimited and you'll be able to keep up with the outside world; on the ship, you are limited to 150MB per cabin per day -- and it's painfully slow. (It's due to issues with India's satellite communication network and not the ship itself.) Unfortunately, this means showing off your photos will have to wait until you're back on land.

The onboard currency is the rupee. The ship does not provide a money exchange service, although your local guide will make ATM stops in Kolkata if you need it. Credit cards can be used to settle your bill, although the transaction carries a 3 percent processing charge.

On Uniworld's Golden Triangle tour before you meet the ship, several lunches and dinners are on your own, and because of the resorts' remote locations (not to mention general concerns about sanitation), dining is limited to the Oberoi restaurants. The meals at these restaurants are fantastic -- you'll eat some of the best Indian food you'll have in your life -- but they are pricy. Make sure to budget for them.

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The twin Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft are exploring where nothing from Earth has flown before. Continuing on their more-than-45-year journey since their 1977 launches, they each are much farther away from Earth and the Sun than Pluto.

Quick Facts

Voyager 2 launched on August 20, 1977, from Cape Canaveral, Florida aboard a Titan-Centaur rocket. On September 5, Voyager 1 launched, also from Cape Canaveral aboard a Titan-Centaur rocket.

Between them, Voyager 1 and 2 explored all the giant planets of our outer solar system, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune; 48 of their moons; and the unique system of rings and magnetic fields those planets possess.

The Voyager spacecraft are the third and fourth human spacecraft to fly beyond all the planets in our solar system. Pioneers 10 and 11 preceded Voyager in outstripping the gravitational attraction of the Sun.

Voyager 1 crossed the termination shock in December 2004 at about 94 AU from the Sun while Voyager 2 crossed it in August 2007 at about 84 AU.

Both Voyager spacecrafts carry a greeting to any form of life, should that be encountered. The message is carried by a phonograph record - -a 12-inch gold-plated copper disk containing sounds and images selected to portray the diversity of life and culture on Earth.

In August 2012, Voyager 1 made the historic entry into interstellar space, the region between stars, filled with material ejected by the death of nearby stars millions of years ago. Voyager 2 entered interstellar space on November 5, 2018 and scientists hope to learn more about this region. Both spacecraft are still sending scientific information about their surroundings through the Deep Space Network, or DSN.

The primary mission was the exploration of Jupiter and Saturn. After making a string of discoveries there — such as active volcanoes on Jupiter's moon Io and intricacies of Saturn's rings — the mission was extended. Voyager 2 went on to explore Uranus and Neptune, and is still the only spacecraft to have visited those outer planets. The adventurers' current mission, the Voyager Interstellar Mission (VIM), will explore the outermost edge of the Sun's domain. And beyond.

Learn about Voyagers' mission status: where they are in the space, the time required to communicate with them, and a lot more.

Learn about the five science investigation teams, the four operating instruments on-board and the science data being returned to Earth.

The Voyager spacecraft have been exploring for decades. Dive deep into the journey with this interactive timeline.

Interact in 3D. Take a deeper look at the sophisticated systems and instruments that deliver the stunning science and images.

Interstellar Mission

The mission objective of the Voyager Interstellar Mission (VIM) is to extend the NASA exploration of the solar system beyond the neighborhood of the outer planets to the outer limits of the Sun's sphere of influence, and possibly beyond.

Planetary Voyage

The twin spacecraft Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 were launched by NASA in separate months in the summer of 1977 from Cape Canaveral, Florida. As originally designed, the Voyagers were to conduct closeup studies of Jupiter and Saturn, Saturn's rings, and the larger moons of the two planets.

Questions, answers and interviews that explain the Voyager mission.

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Christopher Columbus

By: History.com Editors

Updated: August 11, 2023 | Original: November 9, 2009

The explorer Christopher Columbus made four trips across the Atlantic Ocean from Spain: in 1492, 1493, 1498 and 1502. He was determined to find a direct water route west from Europe to Asia, but he never did. Instead, he stumbled upon the Americas. Though he did not “discover” the so-called New World—millions of people already lived there—his journeys marked the beginning of centuries of exploration and colonization of North and South America.

Christopher Columbus and the Age of Discovery

During the 15th and 16th centuries, leaders of several European nations sponsored expeditions abroad in the hope that explorers would find great wealth and vast undiscovered lands. The Portuguese were the earliest participants in this “ Age of Discovery ,” also known as “ Age of Exploration .”

Starting in about 1420, small Portuguese ships known as caravels zipped along the African coast, carrying spices, gold and other goods as well as enslaved people from Asia and Africa to Europe.

Did you know? Christopher Columbus was not the first person to propose that a person could reach Asia by sailing west from Europe. In fact, scholars argue that the idea is almost as old as the idea that the Earth is round. (That is, it dates back to early Rome.)

Other European nations, particularly Spain, were eager to share in the seemingly limitless riches of the “Far East.” By the end of the 15th century, Spain’s “ Reconquista ”—the expulsion of Jews and Muslims out of the kingdom after centuries of war—was complete, and the nation turned its attention to exploration and conquest in other areas of the world.

The Voyages of Christopher Columbus: Timeline

• 1451 Columbus is born
• 1492–1493 Columbus sails to the Americas
• 1493–1496 Columbus returns to Hispaniola
• 1498–1500 Columbus seeks a strait to India
• 1502–1504 Columbus's last voyage
• 1506 Columbus dies

Christopher Columbus is born in the Republic of Genoa. He begins sailing in his teens and survives a shipwreck off the coast of Portugal in 1476. In 1484, he seeks aid from Portugal’s King John II for a voyage to cross the Atlantic Ocean and reach Asia from the east, but the king declines to fund it.

After securing funding from Spain’s King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella, Columbus makes his first voyage to the Americas with three ships—the Niña , the Pinta and the Santa Maria . In October 1492, his expedition makes landfall in the modern-day country of The Bahamas. Columbus establishes a settlement on the island of Hispaniola (present-day Haiti and the Dominican Republic).

In November 1943, Columbus returns to the settlement on Hispaniola to find the Europeans he left there dead. During this second voyage, which lasts over two years, Columbus’ expedition establishes an “encomienda” system. Under this system, Spanish subjects seize land and force Native people to work on it. More

In the summer of 1498, Columbus—still believing he’s reached Asia from the east—sets out on this third voyage with the goal of finding a strait from present-day Cuba to India. He makes his first landfall in South America and plants a Spanish flag in present-day Venezuela. After failing to find the strait, he returns to Hispaniola, where Spanish authorities arrest him for the brutal way he runs the colony there. In 1500, Columbus returns to Spain in chains. More

The Spanish government strips Columbus of his titles but still frees him and finances one last voyage , although it forbids him return to Hispaniola. Still in search of a strait to India, Columbus makes it as far as modern-day Panama, which straddles the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. In his return journey, his ships become beached in present-day Jamaica and he and his crew live as castaways for a year before rescue. More

On May 20, 1506, Columbus dies in Valladolid, Spain at age 54, still asserting that he reached the eastern part of Asia by sailing across the Atlantic. Despite the fact that the Spanish government pays him a tenth of the gold he looted in the Americas, Columbus spends the last part of his life petitioning the crown for more recognition.

Early Life and Nationality 

Christopher Columbus, the son of a wool merchant, is believed to have been born in Genoa, Italy, in 1451. When he was still a teenager, he got a job on a merchant ship. He remained at sea until 1476, when pirates attacked his ship as it sailed north along the Portuguese coast.

The boat sank, but the young Columbus floated to shore on a scrap of wood and made his way to Lisbon, where he eventually studied mathematics, astronomy, cartography and navigation. He also began to hatch the plan that would change the world forever.

Columbus’ Quest for Gold

On Christopher Columbus’s second voyage to the Americas, he enslaved the Indigenous people and forced them to mine for gold.

Columbus’ Mutinous Crew

After 60 days and no sign of their destination, Columbus’ doubtful crew wanted to turn back.

How Early Humans First Reached the Americas: 3 Theories

How and when did humans first set foot in North America? Here are three theories.

Christopher Columbus' First Voyage

At the end of the 15th century, it was nearly impossible to reach Asia from Europe by land. The route was long and arduous, and encounters with hostile armies were difficult to avoid. Portuguese explorers solved this problem by taking to the sea: They sailed south along the West African coast and around the Cape of Good Hope.

But Columbus had a different idea: Why not sail west across the Atlantic instead of around the massive African continent? The young navigator’s logic was sound, but his math was faulty. He argued (incorrectly) that the circumference of the Earth was much smaller than his contemporaries believed it was; accordingly, he believed that the journey by boat from Europe to Asia should be not only possible, but comparatively easy via an as-yet undiscovered Northwest Passage . 

He presented his plan to officials in Portugal and England, but it was not until 1492 that he found a sympathetic audience: the Spanish monarchs Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile .

Columbus wanted fame and fortune. Ferdinand and Isabella wanted the same, along with the opportunity to export Catholicism to lands across the globe. (Columbus, a devout Catholic, was equally enthusiastic about this possibility.)

Columbus’ contract with the Spanish rulers promised that he could keep 10 percent of whatever riches he found, along with a noble title and the governorship of any lands he should encounter.

Exploration of North America

The Vikings Discover the New World The first attempt by Europeans to colonize the New World occurred around 1000 A.D. when the Vikings sailed from the British Isles to Greenland, established a colony and then moved on to Labrador, the Baffin Islands and finally Newfoundland. There they established a colony named Vineland (meaning fertile region) […]

The Viking Explorer Who Beat Columbus to America

Leif Eriksson Day commemorates the Norse explorer believed to have led the first European expedition to North America.

Christopher Columbus Never Set Out to Prove the Earth was Round

Humans have known the earth is round for thousands of years.

Where Did Columbus' Ships, Niña, Pinta and Santa Maria, Land?

On August 3, 1492, Columbus and his crew set sail from Spain in three ships: the Niña , the Pinta and the Santa Maria . On October 12, the ships made landfall—not in the East Indies, as Columbus assumed, but on one of the Bahamian islands, likely San Salvador.

For months, Columbus sailed from island to island in what we now know as the Caribbean, looking for the “pearls, precious stones, gold, silver, spices, and other objects and merchandise whatsoever” that he had promised to his Spanish patrons, but he did not find much. In January 1493, leaving several dozen men behind in a makeshift settlement on Hispaniola (present-day Haiti and the Dominican Republic), he left for Spain.

He kept a detailed diary during his first voyage. Christopher Columbus’s journal was written between August 3, 1492, and November 6, 1492 and mentions everything from the wildlife he encountered, like dolphins and birds, to the weather to the moods of his crew. More troublingly, it also recorded his initial impressions of the local people and his argument for why they should be enslaved.

“They… brought us parrots and balls of cotton and spears and many other things, which they exchanged for the glass beads and hawks’ bells," he wrote. "They willingly traded everything they owned… They were well-built, with good bodies and handsome features… They do not bear arms, and do not know them, for I showed them a sword, they took it by the edge and cut themselves out of ignorance. They have no iron… They would make fine servants… With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want.”

Columbus gifted the journal to Isabella upon his return.

10 Things You May Not Know About Christopher Columbus

Check out 10 things you may not know about the Genoese explorer who sailed the ocean blue in 1492.

The Ships of Christopher Columbus Were Sleek, Fast—and Cramped

Two of Christopher Columbus’ ships were so small that men had no refuge to sleep and poor food storage led to wormy meals.

Christopher Columbus: How The Explorer’s Legend Grew—and Then Drew Fire

Columbus's famed voyage to the New World was celebrated by Italian‑Americans, in particular, as a pathway to their own acceptance in America.

Christopher Columbus's Later Voyages

About six months later, in September 1493, Columbus returned to the Americas. He found the Hispaniola settlement destroyed and left his brothers Bartolomeo and Diego Columbus behind to rebuild, along with part of his ships’ crew and hundreds of enslaved indigenous people.

Then he headed west to continue his mostly fruitless search for gold and other goods. His group now included a large number of indigenous people the Europeans had enslaved. In lieu of the material riches he had promised the Spanish monarchs, he sent some 500 enslaved people to Queen Isabella. The queen was horrified—she believed that any people Columbus “discovered” were Spanish subjects who could not be enslaved—and she promptly and sternly returned the explorer’s gift.

In May 1498, Columbus sailed west across the Atlantic for the third time. He visited Trinidad and the South American mainland before returning to the ill-fated Hispaniola settlement, where the colonists had staged a bloody revolt against the Columbus brothers’ mismanagement and brutality. Conditions were so bad that Spanish authorities had to send a new governor to take over.

Meanwhile, the native Taino population, forced to search for gold and to work on plantations, was decimated (within 60 years after Columbus landed, only a few hundred of what may have been 250,000 Taino were left on their island). Christopher Columbus was arrested and returned to Spain in chains. 

In 1502, cleared of the most serious charges but stripped of his noble titles, the aging Columbus persuaded the Spanish crown to pay for one last trip across the Atlantic. This time, Columbus made it all the way to Panama—just miles from the Pacific Ocean—where he had to abandon two of his four ships after damage from storms and hostile natives. Empty-handed, the explorer returned to Spain, where he died in 1506.

Legacy of Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus did not “discover” the Americas, nor was he even the first European to visit the “New World.” (Viking explorer Leif Erikson had sailed to Greenland and Newfoundland in the 11th century.)

However, his journey kicked off centuries of exploration and exploitation on the American continents. The Columbian Exchange transferred people, animals, food and disease across cultures. Old World wheat became an American food staple. African coffee and Asian sugar cane became cash crops for Latin America, while American foods like corn, tomatoes and potatoes were introduced into European diets. 

Today, Columbus has a controversial legacy —he is remembered as a daring and path-breaking explorer who transformed the New World, yet his actions also unleashed changes that would eventually devastate the native populations he and his fellow explorers encountered.

HISTORY Vault: Columbus the Lost Voyage

Ten years after his 1492 voyage, Columbus, awaiting the gallows on criminal charges in a Caribbean prison, plotted a treacherous final voyage to restore his reputation.

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The Voyager spacecraft will probably last a billion years, says a scientist on the mission for nearly 5 decades

Jenny mcgrath   .

• Alan Cummings has worked on the Voyager mission for over 50 years.
• Since their launch, the two Voyager spacecraft have made breakthrough discoveries that keep Cummings engaged.

The twin Voyager spacecraft launched almost five decades ago, and there's no reason they shouldn't keep going for a billion years, one of its scientists, Alan Cummings told Business Insider.

Cummings started working on the Voyager mission when he was a graduate student at Caltech in 1973, about four years before the two spacecraft launched.

Now a senior research scientist at Caltech, Cummings has seen the program dwindle from over 300 people to fewer than a dozen.

Voyagers 1 and 2 have traveled over 10 billion miles into space, further than any human-made object. Cummings said being a part of this historic mission for so many decades has been the backbone of his career.

"The Hubble Telescope is a great mission," he said. " JWST is a great mission, but I think Voyager's in that kind of category."

Voyagers' endurance

The Voyager mission has been gathering groundbreaking data and photos since the beginning.

The first time Cummings saw Jupiter's moon Io in 1979, for example, he thought it was a joke. "It looked like a poorly made pizza," he said.

Its colorful, volcano-covered surface looked so different from Earth's gray, pockmarked moon . "This can't be real," he said, "and it was real."

The Voyagers offered us a new perspective on our outer solar system, unlike anything we could have imagined.

They discovered Saturn wasn't the only planet with rings — Jupiter has them too. They revealed new moons around Jupiter and Saturn.

In total, the two spacecraft snapped 67,000 images of our solar system, the final of which was the "pale blue dot" photo made famous by Carl Sagan who said:

"To my mind, there is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world."

"It rewrote the textbooks," Cummings said of the mission.

Both Voyagers were initially planned as five-year missions, but Cummings said, from the beginning, he expected the spacecraft to last at least 30 to 40 years.

"A remarkable engineering team has kept this thing going," Cummings said.

Now, as the two spacecraft approach their 50th anniversaries, they're running low on fuel.

Engineers have had to shut down different instruments to keep them going and the data coming in.

Cummings said once the Voyagers lose power and communication, they'll continue traveling. "I think it's going to go for a billion years," he said. "There's nothing to stop it."

Joining Voyager

If it weren't for an unfortunate accident, Cummings may never have joined the Voyager mission.

Before Voyager, Cummings was part of an experiment to measure cosmic rays using a balloon.

For several summers, he had released the balloon from northern Manitoba, Canada.

But during its final flight, the balloon didn't descend as expected and ended up over Russia, instead.

By the time Cummings got to Russia, the instrument was destroyed.

"It was very fortunate for me," he said, because he was able to then join the Voyager mission.

He put his cosmic ray experience to use, working on telescopes for the mission's experiments.

"I have my little initials scratched on one of those" telescopes he said, "so I guess I'm going to be immortal."

Interstellar space

Cummings has worked on other projects over the decades, but Voyagers' continual transmission of new data has kept him excited and involved.

"There's always some new phenomenon that you see," he said.

In fact, Voyager's data has become increasingly more interesting to Cummings in recent years because the two spacecraft are now in interstellar space , the region of space beyond our sun's influence.

After passing by the four giant planets of Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus, many of the instruments were still in working order. So, the spacecraft transitioned to an interstellar mission.

In 2012, Voyager 1 became the first human-made spacecraft to enter interstellar space and Voyager 2 followed six years later.

"That is really what I was most interested in anyway," Cummings said, since cosmic rays are his field of expertise and in interstellar space, those rays aren't disrupted by the sun, Earth, and other obstructions in our solar system.

Voyager is "making its most interesting measurements in some ways right now," he said.

Currently, Voyager 1 is having issues with one of its onboard computers that could compromise the mission.

Cummings hopes the Voyagers can hang on a little longer, especially since interstellar space is a long way off for any other spacecraft.

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Asia Africa and Middle East: India's Golden Triangle & the Sacred Ganges Cruise

12-night ganges voyager ii cruise.

From $1,422 per person* Includes government taxes, fees and port expenses of $0 per person

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises

Complex and beguiling, India is a country unlike any other. Wondrous sights rich in romance and intrigue come alive in the "Golden Triangle" — Delhi, Jaipur and Agra. Delhi's immense red sandstone marble tomb, commissioned by Emperor Humayun's grief-stricken wife, will capture your heart, while Raj Ghat, a black granite memorial to the "Father of the Nation," Mahatma Gandhi, will stir your soul. Jaipur's Pink City and Agra's Taj Mahal, a grand tribute to love, will leave you forever mesmerized. This adventure by land and river will touch all of your senses, from Kolkata, where Mother Teresa's humble home and tomb provide a place of pilgrimage, to the Rajbari Temples devoted to the Hindu god Shiva. Your Ganges voyage delves deeply into India's fascinating historical and religious heritage, working its charm in myriad ways and leaving you with memories that will forever endure.

All-Inclusive Cruise

True All-Inclusive Boutique River Cruising™

All gratuities for onboard services

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Executive Members receive an annual 2% Reward, up to $1,250, on qualified Costco Travel purchases

Receive a $50 shipboard credit per person (maximum $100 per stateroom)♦

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Onboard the Ganges Voyager II

Ganges Voyager II

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• Year Built: 2015

Double Occupancy Capacity: 56

With accommodations inspired by the grace and elegance of the British colonial period, the all-suite Ganges Voyager II is one of only two ultra-luxurious ships serving the Ganges. Built-to-order in 2015, this ship was custom-designed to serve Uniworld's new 2016 "India's Golden Triangle and the Sacred Ganges" itinerary.

Member reviews become available after at least 5 are received in order to provide you with an accurate picture of this travel product.

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East India Dining Room:  This seating option allows you to choose when and with whom you dine. Menus are a blend of classic cuisine with a touch of contemporary elegance, and are created using only the finest and freshest ingredients often brought onboard from local ports of call. You'll be surrounded by the beauty of passing riverbank towns and villages.

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Signature Suite with French Balcony (Category: SS)

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Colonial Suite with French Balcony (Category: CS)

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Heritage Suite with Juliet Balcony (Category: HS)

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Viceroy Suite with French Balcony (Category: VS)

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Maharaja Suite with French Balcony (Category: MS)

Category: MS

• Ship Name: Ganges Voyager II
• Year Entered Present Fleet: 2016
• Maximum Capacity: 56
• Number of Passenger Decks: 3
• Capacity Based on Double Occupancy: 56
• Total Staterooms: 28

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♦Executive Members receive a $50 shipboard credit per person, maximum $100 per stateroom. Executive Member benefit is valid for the primary cardholder only. Shipboard credit is per stateroom based on double occupancy. Shipboard credit will be applied to your onboard account. Any unused portion of the credit is nontransferable, nonrefundable and may not be redeemed for cash.

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Ship's registry: India

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An outstanding luxury cruise experience with an exceptional level of attention to detail. Expect superb service from all levels of officers and staff.

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