Pioneer 11

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Pioneer 11 (also known as Pioneer G) is a robotic space probe that was launched by NASA on April 6, 1973, to study the outer Solar System and interstellar space beyond the Sun's heliosphere. It was the first probe to encounter Saturn and the second to fly through the asteroid belt and make a close approach to Jupiter.

Mission Overview

Pioneer 11 was part of the Pioneer program, which included a series of missions aimed at exploring the outer planets and the interstellar medium. The spacecraft was designed and built by the Ames Research Center.

Objectives

The primary objectives of Pioneer 11 were to:

• Study the asteroid belt and its properties.
• Conduct close-up observations of Jupiter and Saturn.
• Measure the properties of the solar wind and the heliosphere.
• Investigate the cosmic rays and their origins.

Spacecraft Design

Pioneer 11 was equipped with a suite of scientific instruments, including:

• A magnetometer to measure magnetic fields.
• A plasma analyzer to study the solar wind.
• A cosmic ray telescope to detect high-energy particles.
• An imaging photopolarimeter to capture images of the planets and their moons.

The spacecraft was powered by radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs), which provided a reliable source of electricity for its instruments and communication systems.

Mission Timeline

• Launch: April 6, 1973, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
• Jupiter Flyby: December 3, 1974. Pioneer 11 made its closest approach to Jupiter, passing within 34,000 kilometers of the planet's cloud tops. It provided detailed images of the Great Red Spot and discovered the planet's polar regions.
• Saturn Flyby: September 1, 1979. Pioneer 11 became the first spacecraft to encounter Saturn, passing within 21,000 kilometers of the planet. It discovered new rings and moons and provided detailed images of the planet's atmosphere and magnetosphere.

Legacy and Impact

Pioneer 11's successful mission paved the way for future exploration of the outer planets by spacecraft such as Voyager 1, Voyager 2, and the Galileo spacecraft. The data collected by Pioneer 11 has been invaluable in understanding the gas giants and the conditions of the outer Solar System.

End of Mission

Pioneer 11 continued to send data back to Earth until its last transmission on September 30, 1995. The spacecraft is now on a trajectory that will eventually take it out of the Solar System and into interstellar space.

See Also

• Pioneer 10
• Voyager program
• New Horizons
• Outer planets
• Interstellar medium

External Links

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