Pioneer

Definition

Pioneer refers to a series of NASA space missions aimed at exploring the outer planets and beyond. These missions provided valuable data on extraterrestrial environments and potential for life.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Pioneer 10 was the first spacecraft to travel through the asteroid belt and make a flyby of Jupiter.
2. The Pioneer plaques, attached to Pioneer 10 and 11, contain messages intended for any intelligent extraterrestrial life that may find them.
3. Pioneer 11 was the first spacecraft to encounter Saturn and provided detailed images of its rings.
4. Both Pioneer spacecraft were launched in the early 1970s, with Pioneer 10 launching in 1972 and Pioneer 11 in 1973.
5. The data collected by the Pioneer missions has been instrumental in shaping our understanding of the outer solar system.

Review Questions

• What significant milestone did Pioneer 10 achieve concerning Jupiter?
• What is the purpose of the Pioneer plaques?
• Which planet did Pioneer 11 provide detailed images of?

Related terms

Voyager: A series of NASA missions aimed at exploring the outer planets and interstellar space.

SETI:

The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, a scientific effort to detect communications from alien civilizations.

Exoplanet:

A planet that orbits a star outside our solar system, many of which are targets in the search for extraterrestrial life.