Pioneer 11

Pioneer 11 (also called Pioneer-Saturn) was the the first probe to study Saturn in 1979. It transmitted images and other data about Planet Saturn. It discovered additional rings and moons not previously known. It was the second mission to study Jupiter and the outer solar system. It also carries a plaque like Pioneer 10.

History 

* Pioneer 11 was launched on 5 April 1973 from Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA, like Pioneer 10, on a three-stage Atlas-Centaur rocket.

* It flew within 27,000 miles (43,000 kilometers) of Jupiter in December 1974. The craft provided close-up photographs of Jupiter's polar regions and data on the Great Red Spot, the magnetic field, and atmospheric temperatures.

* Pioneer 11 made the first direct observations of Planet Saturn on September 1, 1979.

* The Pioneer 11 mission ended on 30 September 1995, when the last transmission from the spacecraft was received.

Pioneer 11 Plaque

Pioneer 11 carries a gold plaque engraved with a message of goodwill and a map showing the Earth's location in the solar system.

The spacecraft is headed toward the constellation of Aquila (The Eagle), Northwest of the constellation of Sagittarius. Pioneer 11 will pass near one of the stars in the constellation in about 4 million years.

• Pioneer Home Page: Describes the missions of Pioneer 10, ...
  
  
• NSSDC: Pioneer 10/11 Project Information
  
  
• Solar System Exploration: Missions: Saturn: Pioneer 11