The Pioneer 11 spacecraft completed a highly successful flyby of the planet Jupiter on Dec. 3, 1974. The flyby was chosen such that the post-Jupiter flight path would encounter Saturn. Only trajectory trim adjustments remain to be made to achieve the desired Saturn flyby aim point. The present course of Pioneer 11 will come within 1.7 million kilometers of Saturn and maneuver capabilities allow many flyby strategies to be considered. These strategies consider planet and ring viewing, occultation characteristics, satellite encounters, and flight path hazards. The post-Saturn fligh path possibilities, disregarding spacecraft limitations, also include encounters of Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, and 33 different comets. This paper presents these opportunities in light of the spacecraft and tracking limitations for encounter strategy selection.
Encounter strategies available for the first mission to Saturn
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and American Geophysical Union, Conference on the Exploration of the Outer Planets
1975-09-01
Conference paper
No indication
English