Distant Pioneer Needs New Home

Larry Klaes (lklaes@bbn.com)
Thu, 05 Aug 1999 08:02:21 -0400

Date: Thu, 5 Aug 1999 07:42:16 -0400 (EDT) Reply-To: fpspace@SOLAR.RTD.UTK.EDU
Originator: fpspace@solar.cini.utk.edu
Sender: fpspace@SOLAR.RTD.UTK.EDU
From: Simon Mansfield <simon@japan.co.jp> To: Multiple recipients of list <fpspace@SOLAR.RTD.UTK.EDU> Subject: Distant Pioneer Needs New Home
X-Comment: Friends and Partners in Space



EXTRASOLAR WORLDS

Distant Pioneer Needs New Home

10 Hours Out - The first interstellar explorer, Pioneer 10, is alive and well as its plutonium battery continues to feed a trickle of energy from its decaying core.

Pioneer 10 was launched from Earth on March 2, 1972, and became the first probe to flyby Jupiter in late 1973, and then became the first spacecraft to leave the Sol system.

On July 10, Pioneer 10 was commanded to make a precession maneuver that will keep its antenna aligned towards Earth until at least September, when it will start to drift aimlessly forever, unless re-funded.

http://spacedaily.com/spacecast/news/pioneer10-99a.html

Also see these Web sites:

http://spaceprojects.arc.nasa.gov/Space_Projects/pioneer/PNhome.html

http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/database/www-nmc?72-012A

http://duke.ukc.ac.uk/Space/pioneer10.html

http://spacelink.nasa.gov/NASA.Projects/Space.Science/Solar.System/Pioneer.1 0.and.11.Missions/.index.html

http://www-pw.physics.uiowa.edu/pioneer/other/plaque.html

http://arwen.arc.nasa.gov/

http://www.enterprisemission.com/images/plaque-1.jpg
http://www.enterprisemission.com/images/plaque-2.jpg
http://www.enterprisemission.com/images/plaque-3.jpg
http://www.enterprisemission.com/images/plaque-4.jpg