Pioneer 10's RTG power source decayed after 30 years of use, the plutonium power source not generating enough electrical power to run the transmitter.
As for Pioneer 11, the spacecraft along with Earth's rotation caused the antenna to move out of alignment, resulting in loss of contact at the end of it's mission in 1995.
in 2001 nasa deep space contact was made with the probe (pioneer 10) to celebrate its 30th year in space. it did get the signal and returned a signal back. they tried again a few years later and got nothing back. it is possible that its power cell went dead or lost tracking of earth so we get nothing back. pioneer 11 was reajusted so its dish was more aligned with earth but something went wrong and lost its signal nothing has been heard from that probe in almost 20 years now. too bad is it not?
Pioneer 10's RTG power source decayed after 30 years of use, the plutonium power source not generating enough electrical power to run the transmitter.
As for Pioneer 11, the spacecraft along with Earth's rotation caused the antenna to move out of alignment, resulting in loss of contact at the end of it's mission in 1995.
CoyoteSiege2 2 years ago
Pioneer10 is on a interstellar journey, since it has reached escape velocity, it will never return, it will silently coast the universe forever.
CoyoteSiege2 2 years ago
There was to have been a Pioneer 10 for a out of ecliptic mission in 1975, but it was canceled.
Pioneer 12 was the Venus orbiter launched in 1978, and burned up in 1992.
CoyoteSiege2 2 years ago
I wish they would make a pioneer 12 and long lasting battery life and more durable.
indiaelite 3 years ago
in 2001 nasa deep space contact was made with the probe (pioneer 10) to celebrate its 30th year in space. it did get the signal and returned a signal back. they tried again a few years later and got nothing back. it is possible that its power cell went dead or lost tracking of earth so we get nothing back. pioneer 11 was reajusted so its dish was more aligned with earth but something went wrong and lost its signal nothing has been heard from that probe in almost 20 years now. too bad is it not?
derrickdanderson 3 years ago
were is it now ?
lestube001 3 years ago