Pioneer 10

Pioneer 10 was the first spacecraft to reach the outer solar system.  Pioneer 10 took a picture of Jupiter during it's mission.  They used this information to make better spacecrafts, the Voyager and the Galileo. 

 

Text Box: Fun Facts: First spacecraft to fly past Jupiter First spacecraft to leave our solar system First spacecraft to fly through the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupidter   After reaching Pluto the gravity helped change the velocity of Pioneer 10 to go to the outer solar system.  The Pioneer 10 farther from earth than any other man made object.  In order to reach the first star in its path, it will need to travel 2 million more years.  The Pioneer has a plaque on the ship in case comes in contact with intelligent life forms (aliens).  Communication with the Pioneer ended in 1997.  Pioneer 10 still gave signals to NASA until January 2003.

KEY DATES

  
5/02/1972  Pioneer 10 launched
6/13/1983 It passed orbit of most distant planet
3/31/1997 Mission was complete!

 

 

 

                          science