1. Craig Lieneck PHY3091-01.fa03 November 5, 2003
Pioneer 10
Craig Lieneck
PHY fa03
November 5, 2003

2. Spacecraft Description
2.9 m (9.5 ft) long
270 kg (570 lbs.)
Dish:
2.74 m diameter
46 cm deep
Spin Stabilized (5 rpm)
6 Hydrazine Thrusters
Velocity
Attitude
Spin-Rate Control
Powered by 4 RTG Power Sources
Carries 11 Different Instruments
Starlight Sensor – Referenced position relative to Canopus
2 Sunlight Sensors – Referenced position relative to the Sun

3. Mission Overview Designed to observe Jupiter
Earth’s 1st space probe to encounter an outer planet
Experiment to see if Asteroid Belt could be passed
Paved way for outer solar system exploration
Total cost as of 2001 – $350 million

4. Message in a Bottle Aboard Pioneer 10 &11
Plaque with message from mankind
Not everyone approved

5. Launch March 2, 1972 at Cape Kennedy
Atlas/Centaur/TE364 Launch Vehicle
51,810 km/hr (32,400mph)

6. Flight Path

7. Asteroid Belt Encountered on July 15, 1972
Materials range from dust particles to
the size of Alaska (20 km/hr)
Once safely passed, Pioneer 11 launched (April 5, 1973)

8. Jupiter December 3, 1973 Approached at 132,000 km/hr 130,354 km
(81,000 miles) above cloud tops
- Mapped radiation belts
- Located magnetic field
Discovered Jupiter was a predominately liquid planet

9. 1st Close-Up Images of Jupiter

10. Outer Solar System
June 13, 1983 – became 1st artifact to “leave the solar system”
Studied energetic particles from solar wind
Cosmic rays entering Milky Way
Scientific Mission End:
March 31, 1997
DSN – advanced concept study of communication technology for future probes

11. Heliosphere

12. Last Signal February 7, 2003 – Last attempt
Power source degraded – No power for transmissions
27,380 mph
Currently 7.8 billion miles away
Most remote man-made object

13. References