• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Goodbye Pioneer 10!

Assimilator1

Assimilator1

Elite Member
PIONEER 10 SPACECRAFT SENDS LAST SIGNAL

After more than 30 years, it appears the venerable Pioneer 10 spacecraft has sent its last signal to Earth. Pioneer's last, very weak signal was received on Jan. 22, 2003.

NASA engineers report Pioneer 10's radioisotope power source has decayed, and it may not have enough power to send additional transmissions to Earth. NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN) did not detect a signal during the last contact attempt Feb. 7, 2003. The previous three contacts, including the Jan. 22 signal, were very faint with no telemetry received. The last time a Pioneer 10 contact returned telemetry data was April 27, 2002. NASA has no additional contact attempts planned for Pioneer 10.


Read the full story here

Amazing its lasted that long!:Q
Btw thanks to Sir Ulli for the link ,I pinched it from the Planet3D forum😉
 
I remember discussing Pioneer with a friend of mine a few months ago. Seems it recently reached the distance of one light-day. 30 years of space flight and just now hitting a light-day.
 
First man-made object to cross the asteroid belt.

First man-made object to leave the solar system.

Designed to last 21 months, it performed it's mission for over 30 years.
 
Originally posted by: OhioDude
First man-made object to cross the asteroid belt.

First man-made object to leave the solar system.

Designed to last 21 months, it performed it's mission for over 30 years.
Click to expand...
Hopefully this kind of story will make some news. NASA can use the good press right now. 🙂

 
I wonder what kind of processor(s) it used? 8088s?

I was a young man when this was launched. At the time, I was considering a life-changing career switch by trying to get on at JPL. :Q

I still wonder what if. 😉
 
Originally posted by: Smokeball
I wonder what kind of processor(s) it used? 8088s?
Click to expand...

Considering it was launched in 1972, it had to be middle '60's technology used in the design of the onboard systems, so that would have been long before the 8088.
 
Here's to hoping the Vulcans(or some other friendly spare-faring peope) spot it real soon and bring it home to us for repairs and upgrades! 😉
 
correct me if I'm wrong (maybe I should read the artical before posting this) but didn't they send 2 of these out, maybe I'm thinking of voyager, but if so what's the story on the other one.
 
Originally posted by: Fingers
correct me if I'm wrong (maybe I should read the artical before posting this) but didn't they send 2 of these out, maybe I'm thinking of voyager, but if so what's the story on the other one.
Click to expand...

Yeah read it ,it does mention Pioneer 11😛😉

 
correct me if I'm wrong (maybe I should read the artical before posting this) but didn't they send 2 of these out, maybe I'm thinking of voyager, but if so what's the story on the other one.
Click to expand...
Well, there were actually 11 Pioneer probes. Only Pioneers 10 and 11 explored the outer reaches of the solar system. Pioneer 11 was launched in 1973 and made its last transmission in September of 1995 when it ran out of propellant and could no longer maneuver to point its antenna towards Earth. Pioneer 11 studied Jupiter and was the first to study Saturn up close. It passed within 13,000 miles of Saturn and took some amazing pictures!

Pioneers 10 and 11, next to the moon landings, might very well be NASA's greatest achievements.

 
Some more amazing Pioneer 10 facts:

  • It was the first man object to gain energy from a planetary gravity assist. It's course was adjusted to pass close enough to Jupiter to accelerate it to more than 82,000 mph which is the escape velocity for the solar system. A TRW engineer did the calculations and made the proposal to NASA long after Pioneer 10 was launched.

    As it passed Jupiter, is was exposed to 100,000 times the amount of radiation that would be lethal to a human being. And it kept ticking for another 28 years!

    Pioneer 10 was also the first spacecraft to have the ability to have its systems re-programmed from the ground during flight which allowed it's mission to be extended beyond the 21 month plan.

    It was the first spacecraft with the ability to automatically align it's antenna towards Earth. It used the Sun as a reference point until 1983 when it left the solar system and the Sun became too dim for the on-board systems to use. After that, it was reprogrammed to use a beacon signal transmitted from earth.

    Pioneer 10's transmitter transmits with only 8 watts of power.

Talk about an engineering feat... Think about this for a minute. Pioneer 10 was able to align its 9 ft antenna so that an 8 watt signal could be transmitted and subsequently received by a radar dish on earth nearly 8 billion miles away... Now that's incredible! The precision involved with that feat alone leaves me in absolute awe.
 
Originally posted by: OhioDude
Talk about an engineering feat... Think about this for a minute. Pioneer 10 was able to align its 9 ft antenna so that an 8 watt signal could be transmitted and subsequently received by a radar dish on earth nearly 8 billion miles away... Now that's incredible! The precision involved with that feat alone leaves me in absolute awe.
Click to expand...
And yet all we ever hear about is the failures of NASA and wasted money.
rolleye.gif
🙁 :disgust:

Thanks OhioDude!
 
Wow those are some amazing facts OD!Incredible!🙂

I used to run more power than that from my old CB radio setup😉 ,90w from my home base & 120w from my car setup!:Q
 
lol ,yeah but don't tell the authorities!😉

Btw it was just as well the old Sierra I had at the time had a 90A alternator cos the BP300 would draw about 20A!🙂
Good to see a fellow 'breaker' in TA😉
 
Another 'breaker' here too! 😀 I don't use my CB much on a daily basis, but on vacation trips I use it alot - my handle is Hard Drive. 😉
 
This is a good story relating to CB radio:


My dad was driving along one day, just after CB radio had been made illegal over here in the UK, back in the 70's i think, and he had the aerial on the roof of his blue van. He got pulled over by a cop, and they asked to search his van. My dad said OK, and they started. They started looking under all the seats, and moving all the stuff he had in the back, looking under the carpet etc. After about 15 minutes, my dad asked what they were looking for, and they said "We're looking for any CB radios". "You're too late," my dad said, "one of your mates had it all off me yesterday"!! Needless to say, the cops weren't too pleased that they had spent 15 minutes looking for nothing! 🙂




Confused
 
Originally posted by: Confused
This is a good story relating to CB radio:


My dad was driving along one day, just after CB radio had been made illegal over here in the UK, back in the 70's i think, and he had the aerial on the roof of his blue van. He got pulled over by a cop, and they asked to search his van. My dad said OK, and they started. They started looking under all the seats, and moving all the stuff he had in the back, looking under the carpet etc. After about 15 minutes, my dad asked what they were looking for, and they said "We're looking for any CB radios". "You're too late," my dad said, "one of your mates had it all off me yesterday"!! Needless to say, the cops weren't too pleased that they had spent 15 minutes looking for nothing! 🙂
Click to expand...

Dang! CB is illegal there?!? :Q Is that just for the average folk or does that apply to everyone including the truck drivers?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top