Pioneer 6, 7, 8, and 9
Artist's conception of the Pioneer 6–9 spacecraft. | |
| Mission type | Interplanetary space |
|---|---|
| Operator | NASA |
| COSPAR ID |
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| SATCAT no. |
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| Mission duration |
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| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | TRW |
| Launch mass |
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| Power | 79 W |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date |
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| Rocket | |
| Launch site |
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| End of mission | |
| Last contact |
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| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Heliocentric |
| Perihelion altitude | between 0.75 to 1 AU |
| Aphelion altitude | between 0.99 to 1.2 AU |
Pioneer 6, 7, 8, and 9 were space probes in the Pioneer program, launched between 1965 and 1969. They were a series of solar-orbiting, spin-stabilized, solar cell- and battery-powered satellites designed to obtain measurements on a continuing basis of interplanetary phenomena from widely separated points in space. They were also known as Pioneer A, B, C, and D. The fifth (Pioneer E) was lost in a launch accident, and therefore did not receive a numerical designation.