On this day April 25, 1983, NASA’s Pioneer 10 became the first spacecraft to travel beyond the orbit of Pluto. Launched in 1972, Pioneer 10 was originally designed to study Jupiter, but it continued to send data long after its primary mission ended.
By the time it crossed Pluto’s orbit, Pioneer 10 had already become the first spacecraft to pass through the asteroid belt and the first to send close up images of Jupiter. Its continued journey into deep space marked a historic moment for human exploration, symbolizing our first physical step toward the outer limits of the solar system.
Though contact was eventually lost in 2003, Pioneer 10 remains on a path out of the solar system, carrying with it a gold plaque designed to communicate humanity’s existence to any extraterrestrial life that might encounter it.
Fun fact: The plaque aboard Pioneer 10 includes a map showing the location of Earth and a drawing of a man and woman.
Trivia question: What planet did Pioneer 10 become the first spacecraft to fly past before heading toward the outer edge of the solar system?
By the time it crossed Pluto’s orbit, Pioneer 10 had already become the first spacecraft to pass through the asteroid belt and the first to send close up images of Jupiter. Its continued journey into deep space marked a historic moment for human exploration, symbolizing our first physical step toward the outer limits of the solar system.
Though contact was eventually lost in 2003, Pioneer 10 remains on a path out of the solar system, carrying with it a gold plaque designed to communicate humanity’s existence to any extraterrestrial life that might encounter it.
Fun fact: The plaque aboard Pioneer 10 includes a map showing the location of Earth and a drawing of a man and woman.
Trivia question: What planet did Pioneer 10 become the first spacecraft to fly past before heading toward the outer edge of the solar system?
