THE PIONEER program began in 1958 and finished in 1978, launching a series of missions that investigated the planets of our Solar System.
The most notable of these were Pioneer 10 and 11, twin spacecraft that were the first to explore the outer planets.
Pioneer 10 launched in March 1972, arriving at Jupiter in November 1973. It transmitted to the Earth over 500 photos, including the first near-space images of Jupiter and its moons Europa and Ganymede.
After passing through the Jovian System, Pioneer continued to a trajectory that will see it eventually leave the Solar System.
Contact was lost with it in April 2002, probably because power levels from the Radioisotope-Thermoelectric Generators had fallen too for it to continue operation.
Pioneer 11 launched in April 1972 and arrived at Jupiter in 1974. Like its twin, it sent back photos of Jupiter,including shots of another moon, Callisto.
While passing through the Planetary System 11 made use of Jupiter's intensive gravity to alter its heading and set course for Saturn. Otherwise known as a "Gravitational Slingshot" this technique would also be used by Voyager 1 and 2.
It arrived in the Saturian System in October 1979 producing the first near-space images of the gas-giant.
Pioneer 11's trajectory took it through Saturn rings in a calculated risk to determine if there was a danger of collision with ring material posed to the Voyager Probes which were following. It survived its encounter with this planet and like Pioneer 10, headed towards deep space.
Contact was lost with the spacecraft in September 1995, after 30 continuous years of operation, probably due to power shortages.
The Pioneer probes were the first spacecraft to reach the outer Solar System, and the first set on a course to the Stars, but they are not designed to be the first to leave the Solar System. The Voyager Twins, launched with a higher velocity a few years after Pioneer 10 and 11, have overtaken their predecessors and will be the first Human built spacecraft to make the transition into interstellar space.
Should Pioneer 10 and 11 encounter an extra-terrestrial intelligence on their journey,each carries a gold plaque with pictorial information about Humans and the location of our Home World.
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| Pioneer Series |
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| Structure of Pioneer 10 |
Contact was lost with it in April 2002, probably because power levels from the Radioisotope-Thermoelectric Generators had fallen too for it to continue operation.
Pioneer 11 launched in April 1972 and arrived at Jupiter in 1974. Like its twin, it sent back photos of Jupiter,including shots of another moon, Callisto.
While passing through the Planetary System 11 made use of Jupiter's intensive gravity to alter its heading and set course for Saturn. Otherwise known as a "Gravitational Slingshot" this technique would also be used by Voyager 1 and 2.
It arrived in the Saturian System in October 1979 producing the first near-space images of the gas-giant.
Pioneer 11's trajectory took it through Saturn rings in a calculated risk to determine if there was a danger of collision with ring material posed to the Voyager Probes which were following. It survived its encounter with this planet and like Pioneer 10, headed towards deep space.
Contact was lost with the spacecraft in September 1995, after 30 continuous years of operation, probably due to power shortages.
The Pioneer probes were the first spacecraft to reach the outer Solar System, and the first set on a course to the Stars, but they are not designed to be the first to leave the Solar System. The Voyager Twins, launched with a higher velocity a few years after Pioneer 10 and 11, have overtaken their predecessors and will be the first Human built spacecraft to make the transition into interstellar space.
Should Pioneer 10 and 11 encounter an extra-terrestrial intelligence on their journey,each carries a gold plaque with pictorial information about Humans and the location of our Home World.
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