The continuing missions of Pioneer spacecraft
Abstract
Pioneer spacecraft will continue as mankind's farthest explorer from the Sun and America's only operating planetary orbiter for many years in the future. The eleven-year old Pioneer 10 describes strong solar domination of the environment at its 29 astronomic units (AU) distance, and its sensitivity as a unique sensor of suspected gravitational phenomena is improving with distance. The four-year-old Pioneer Venus Orbiter increasingly defines the solar wind interaction with the nonmagnetic planet as its orbital axis precesses through the affected volume. Pioneer 10 promises data from 50 AU distance by 1991. The Venus Orbiter could operate until atmospheric entry in 1992.
- Publication:
-
AIAA, Aerospace Sciences Meeting
- Pub Date:
- January 1983
- Bibcode:
- 1983aiaa.meetQ....D
- Keywords:
-
- Pioneer 10 Space Probe;
- Pioneer 11 Space Probe;
- Cosmic Rays;
- Gamma Ray Astronomy;
- Gravitational Waves;
- Halley'S Comet;
- Pioneer Space Probes;
- Pioneer Venus 1 Spacecraft;
- Solar Planetary Interactions;
- Solar Wind;
- Spacecraft Instruments;
- Space Sciences (General)