Palm Desert honors Frank Locatell, engineer in NASA’s Voyager missions

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) - The city of Palm Desert is honoring a man whose work helped change humanity’s understanding of the universe.

Frank Locatell, one of the principal architects behind NASA’s Voyager missions, was recognized for a legacy that stretches far beyond Earth.

Designed in the 1970s, Voyager One and Two went on to explore distant planets, capture the iconic pale blue dot image, and become the first human-made objects to enter interstellar space.

"We are capable of much more than we think we are. Looking back then — and seeing that we're still receiving transmissions from this project — it’s incredible," Locatell said.

More than forty years after launch -- the spacecraft he helped create is still sending signals back to Earth and will continue traveling through space long after humanity itself is gone.

Locatelli is now a retired resident of Palm Desert. City leaders say Lockatell’s achievements -- and his message -- serve as a reminder of what’s possible when curiosity, science, and perseverance come together.