AFTER 41 years of wondering if she will ever manage to leave, the transition phase has finally been completed.

I refer of course to Voyager 2, which has radioed home and confirmed she’s left the solar system behind after an epic journey studying the planets and discovering active volcanoes on distant moons and is now carrying her golden record of life on planet Earth off into the stars.

All done with Seventies technology and free from the 21st century’s poor excuse for culture. Just imagine if the first impression an alien race got of humanity was a recording of Britain’s Got Talent. It’s a shame Voyager doesn’t get more coverage in the media, along with other news that isn’t of the bad variety, as technological success shows mankind at its best.

These probes are older than I am but still they function thanks to the wonder that is nuclear power, something today’s governments should continue to develop.

Better publicity of these triumphs would give far better inspiration to people than hearing politicians and celebrities drone on about empowerment and entitlement. To me these stories remind me that, when somebody says it’s impossible, it usually means the individual making the statement in question doesn’t have the drive to try.

Dr Scott Marmion, Woodthorpe, York