Edward C. Stone’s (known as Ed) leadership of the Voyager missions remains one of the most extraordinary accomplishments in scientific history and his claim to fame. As the director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Stone oversaw the two missions that sent Voyager I and II spacecraft beyond our solar system, delivering groundbreaking scientific data about the outer reaches of space. As project manager over Voyager I and Voyager II (“the twin” spacecrafts) the project started off as a four-year project that has spanned almost 50 years and continues. Voyagers I and II are still collecting data today. Stone passed away in June 2024 at the age of 88, but his contributions to space science and exploration continue to resonate.
Stone’s leadership of the Voyager missions was more than just a scientific feat; it was an example of how complex projects require alignment across diverse teams and disciplines. Stone’s work is a testament to the power of being able to clearly communicate complex ideas and foster teamwork in reaching ambitious goals. He had the unique gift of taking complex scientific fields and explaining them in simple and clear terms such that anyone could understand how the science worked. Even his young daughters who at the time were 4-years and 10-years old understood his work. His gift of word allowed him to bring scientists together from diverse fields, but it also enabled him to enthrall the general public and Congress and spark excitement about the Voyager twin missions generating continued support for the missions. In my strategic innovation courses, I push students to not only learn enough science to know how it will affect product innovation but to explain it such that non-scientists and non-engineers can understand it.
Voyagers I and II were launched in 1977 and inspired the launch of Sputnik I by the Soviet Union in 1957 during Stone’s first year of graduate school at the University of Chicago (where he also received his Ph.D.). The twin Voyagers were able to collect data from Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune during a 176 event where the four planets converged in the solar system. Stone became engrossed with the cosmos and particles, from that moment on and is considered a founder of the nascent field of space physics. While he is most known for the Voyager twin missions, he also oversaw the construction of the W. M. Keck Observatory and spearheading future “big telescope” projects.
Stone’s parents had a profound impact on his development. His father was in the construction business and always explaining how “things” worked. Both parents encouraged his interest in building radios and other gadgets. While his work was his life, he always came home for dinner and took family vacations with his wife and two daughters. He loved hiking, the opera, and exploring new routes not traveled previously when on the road with his family. I would have enjoyed sharing a dinner and breaking bread with Dr. Stone and talking about the love of science, my own hiking in the northern Rocky Mountains and love of the Santa Fe Opera and love and support of the Taos Opera Institute (TOI).
Stone’s legacy serves as a reminder of the importance of pushing the boundaries of knowledge. His ability to inspire and lead groundbreaking work in space exploration exemplifies the kind of leadership and vision that drives innovation forward. His achievements remind us that the pursuit of knowledge and discovery should always be fueled by curiosity and a commitment to collaboration.
Dearly Departed profiles are the musings of SC Innovates’ Director and SmartState Endowed Chair Laura B. Cardinal. Cardinal is an academic researcher and teaches Strategic Management of Technology and Innovation at the University of South Carolina (USC) Darla Moore School of Business Professional MBA program. Her series of courses includes the Strategic Innovation Certificate. Cardinal’s courses offer a unique fusion of innovation, business strategy, science, and technology.