#2624: Voyager Wires

XKCD comic, described below.
Transcript

[In the bottom right corner is a space probe, with large satellite dish and long antenna. Behind it runs a long wire, that makes three loops before it is connected to North America on the Earth in the top left corner. To the left of the Earth there is a second wire, which goes off-panel to the left.]

[Caption below the panel:]

Sad news: Due to high copper prices and budget constraints, NASA may finally have to cut the wires that they've been spooling out to communicate with Voyager 1 and 2.


(Sourced from explainxkcd.com)

Also, they're getting increasingly worried that someone will accidentally hit the 'retract' button, and that the end of the cable thrashing around as it winds up could devastate the Earth's surface.

ExplainOriginal