Pioneer 10
The first spacecraft to cross the asteroid belt and visit Jupiter.
Pioneer 10 is a NASA probe launched on 3 March 1972 that made the first mission to Jupiter. It was the first spacecraft to cross the asteroid belt and the first of five artificial objects on course to leave the Solar System.
It passed closest to Jupiter on 3 December 1973. Its last signal was received on 23 January 2003, when its power had run too low.
Quick Facts
- Mission type
- Planetary; Heliosphere exploration
- Operator
- NASA; Ames
- Mission duration
- 2 Mar 1972, 23 Jan 2003
- Spacecraft
- Pioneer F
- Manufacturer
- TRW
- Launch mass
- 258 kg / 569 lb
- Power
- 155 watts (at launch)
- Launched
- 3 March 1972, 01:49:04 UTC
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