The long life of Pioneer interplanetary spacecraftThe 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.
Document ID
19750032539
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Authors
Dixon, W. J. (TRW Systems Group Redondo Beach, Calif., United States)
Date Acquired
August 8, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1974
Subject Category
Spacecraft Design, Testing And Performance
Meeting Information
Meeting: Management and design of long-life systems; Symposium