Pioneer 10 spacecraft falls silent after nearly 31 years

Associated Press | February 25, 2003

[HAL9000]

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Pioneer 10, the first spacecraft to venture out of the solar system, has fallen silent after traveling billions of miles from Earth on a mission that has lasted nearly 31 years, NASA said Tuesday.

What was apparently the spacecraft's last signal was received Jan. 22 by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Deep Space Network. At the time, Pioneer 10 was 7.6 billion miles from Earth; the signal, traveling at the speed of light, took 11 hours and 20 minutes to arrive.

The signal and the two previous signals were very faint. The Deep Space Network heard nothing from Pioneer 10 during a final attempt at contact on Feb. 7. No more attempts are planned.

Pioneer 10 was launched March 2, 1972, on a 21-month mission. It became the first spacecraft to pass through the asteroid belt and the first to obtain close-up images of Jupiter. In 1983, it became the first manmade object to leave the solar system when it passed the orbit of distant Pluto.

Although Pioneer 10's mission officially ended in 1997, scientists continued to track the TRW Inc.-built spacecraft as part of a study of communication technology for NASA's future Interstellar Probe mission. Pioneer 10 hasn't relayed telemetry data since April 27.

"It was a workhorse that far exceeded its warranty, and I guess you could say we got our money's worth," said Larry Lasher, Pioneer 10 project manager at NASA's Ames Research Center.

Pioneer 10 carries a gold plaque engraved with a message of goodwill and a map showing the Earth's location in the solar system. The spacecraft continues to coast toward the star Aldebaran in the constellation Taurus. It will take 2 million years to reach it.

On the Net:

Pioneer 10: spaceprojects.arc.nasa.gov/Space_Projects/pioneer/PNhome.html

[XEHRpa]

Thanks. I'll do that.

[ToTheStars]

What do you do at JPL?

[RadioAstronomer]

What do you do at JPL?

I was in "Flight Operations" (mission control) on an interplanetary spacecraft. I left JPL to work on Space Station, however, I am now indirectly working with them on GPS orbit estimation and ephemeris. My radio telescope project was also linked during the Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 Collision with Jupiter.

[ToTheStars]

Uh, you are working on THE space station? The one that's up there now?

[Condorman]

Farewell Old Friend

PH, would you ping the usual suspects, please?

[PatrickHenry]

Requested ping.

[This ping list is for the evolution -- not creationism -- side of evolution threads, and sometimes for other science topics. To be added (or dropped), let me know via freepmail.]

[stanz]

Truly amazing. It sent back better messages than my cell phone. Must have a sneaker hanging from it.

[frodolives]

It did NOT go out of range. It graduated from law school, is now an attorney and won't return our calls.

[stanz]

LOL. and probably right.

[Scully]

Yes, a truly remarkable machine. And in how many years will it provide target-practice for one ultra-juiced Klingon warrior?

[RadioAstronomer]

Uh, you are working on THE space station? The one that's up there now?

Indeed it was the very one that is up there. :-)

[ToTheStars]

You have a very interesting job, I'm impressed. Perhaps you could answer a few questions for me. Why does the space station need to have the Shuttle boost it's orbit? Couldn't they have installed boosters or what ever on the space station itself? Or maybe they could have installed the space station in an orbit that wouldn't decay?

Thanks for your time in answering me.

[finnman69]

Hopefully the Klingnons wont use it for target practice.

[RadioAstronomer]

I am so sorry for being off FR and not answering right away. :-(

I will post an answer in the morning!

[Mark17]

It will take 2 million years to reach it.

Oh good. That means I still have time for a cup of tea before it arrives. The universe really is kind of large isn't it?

[livis_dad]

It figures... most appliances quit right after the warranty and I've heard this thing had a 30 year warranty... Piece of crap.

[Mark17]

I wonder if Al Gore bought 5 copies for his mother? On the cover of the Rolling Stone.

[livis_dad]

Whoa, should dude guy be hung a little more? And what's with the chick not waving "Hi", she's just standing there all coy acting and naked? I don't want that representing my peeps on the 3rd planet from the Sun!

[RadioAstronomer]

Whoa, should dude guy be hung a little more? And what's with the chick not waving "Hi", she's just standing there all coy acting and naked? I don't want that representing my peeps on the 3rd planet from the Sun!

I dont think that is much of a issue. LOL! However, the pulsar map will show our location. :-)

[Axenolith]