The Pioneer 6 to 9 interplanetary spacecraft were launched in 1965, 66, 67, and 68. All continue to operate in various orbits about the sun, gathering data on the solar system environment. Pioneer 10 was launched in 1972, and is now more than halfway to Jupiter, with all systems performing their required functions. The paper reviews these programs and the few anomalies which have been observed. The long-term mission success is discussed in terms of possible causative factors: simplicity in design and operation, redundancy in function and in equipment, comprehensive development and acceptance tests, the mildness of the space environment, and luck.
The long life of Pioneer interplanetary spacecraft
Management and design of long-life systems; Symposium ; 1973 ; Denver, CO
01.01.1974
Sonstige
Keine Angabe
Englisch
The long life of pioneer interplanetary spacecraft
Tema Archiv | 1974
|Development of the interplanetary Pioneer spacecraft
NTRS | 1967
|Development of the Interplanetary Pioneer Spacecraft
NTIS | 1967
|