Pioneer 11
Pioneer 11, also known as Pioneer H, was the second in NASA's Pioneer program designed to explore the outer planets of the Solar System. Here's an in-depth look at this historic spacecraft:
Launch and Mission
- Launch Date: April 6, 1973
- Launch Vehicle: Atlas-Centaur
- Primary Objective: To study the Jupiter and Saturn systems, with secondary goals to explore the interplanetary medium, cosmic rays, and solar wind.
Notable Achievements
- Jupiter Flyby: Pioneer 11 flew by Jupiter on December 2, 1974, becoming the second spacecraft to do so. It provided valuable data on Jupiter's atmosphere, magnetosphere, and moons.
- Saturn Flyby: On September 1, 1979, Pioneer 11 became the first spacecraft to encounter Saturn. It discovered a second radiation belt around the planet, observed the rings in detail, and took images of the planet's moons.
- Deep Space: After its encounter with Saturn, Pioneer 11 continued into deep space, becoming the first spacecraft to reach the escape velocity of the solar system.
Scientific Instruments
- Imaging Photopolarimeter
- Quadrispherical Plasma Analyzer
- Vector Helium Magnetometer
- Charged Particle Instrument
- Cosmic Ray Telescope
- Geiger Tube Telescope
- Jovian Trapped Radiation Detector
- Meteoroid Detector
- Ultraviolet Photometer
End of Mission
- Last Contact: November 24, 1995
- Final Position: Heading towards the constellation of Aquila, it was expected to leave the Solar System in about 4 million years.
Legacy
Pioneer 11's mission laid the groundwork for future planetary exploration missions, notably the Voyager program. The data collected helped refine our understanding of gas giants and their environments, influencing space exploration strategies and technology.
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