Pioneer 11

retired

Science ExplorationinterplanetaryCOSPAR 1973-019ALaunched 4/6/1973

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Mission & Launch

Launch Mission: Pioneer 11 Mission
Launch Vehicle: Atlas SLV-3D Centaur
Launch Date: 4/6/1973
Last Contact: 11/22/1995

Orbit & Mass

Orbit Class: interplanetary
Altitude: -10,907 km
Inclination: 34.9 deg
Dry Mass: 243 kg
Total Mass: 270 kg

Payload Classification

Organizations

Operator: NASA Ames Research Center
Manufacturer: Northrop Grumman

Registry

COSPAR ID: 1973-019A
UN Registration: A/AC.105/INF.275

Mentions

All verified mentions of this spacecraft in source documents.

RTGs powered Viking 1 and Viking 2 with 85 watts total, Pioneer 10 and Pioneer 11 with 165 watts total, and Cassini with three RTGs delivering 888 watts.

CapabilityValue 4.0Jul 13, 2026Atoms for space: Past US space nuclear power and propulsion programs

Pioneer 10, Pioneer 11, Voyager 1, Voyager 2, and New Horizons are the five spacecraft that previously achieved solar system escape velocity.

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