#astronomy 

The Pioneer programs were two series of United States lunar and planetary [[Space probes|space probes]] exploration.

## First program, 1958-1960
| **Mission Name** | **Type**                            | **Outcome**                                      | **Date**           |
| ---------------- | ----------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | ------------------ |
| Pioneer 0        | Lunar orbiter                       | Destroyed (Thor failure 77 seconds after launch) | August 17, 1958    |
| Pioneer 1        | Lunar orbiter, missed Moon          | Third stage partial failure                      | October 11, 1958   |
| Pioneer 2        | Lunar orbiter, reentry              | Third stage failure                              | November 8, 1958   |
| Pioneer 3        | Lunar orbiter                       | Launcher failure                                 | December 6, 1958   |
| Pioneer 4        | Lunar orbiter                       |                                                  | March 3, 1959      |
| Pioneer P-1      | Launch vehicle lost                 | Failure                                          | September 24, 1959 |
| Pioneer P-3      | Mission failed shortly after launch | Failure                                          | November 26, 1959  |
| Pioneer 5        |                                     |                                                  | March 11, 1960     |
| Pioneer P-30     | Lunar probe                         | Failed to achieve lunar orbit                    | September 25, 1960 |
| Pioneer P-31     | Lunar probe                         | Lost in upper stage failure                      | December 15, 196   |
![[Pasted image 20240622153733.png]]
(Pioneer 4 probe)
![[Pasted image 20240622153643.png]] 
(Pioneer 5 probe)

## Second program, 1965-1992
| **Mission Name**                                            | **Outcome**              | **Date**       |
| ----------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------ | -------------- |
| Pioneer 6                                                   |                          | December, 1965 |
| Pioneer 7                                                   |                          | August, 1966   |
| Pioneer 8                                                   |                          | December, 1967 |
| Pioneer 9                                                   |                          | November, 1968 |
| Pioneer E                                                   | lost in launcher failure | August, 1969   |
| Pioneer 10                                                  |                          | March, 1972    |
| Pioneer 11                                                  |                          | April, 1973    |
| Pioneer Venus Orbiter  <br>(Pioneer Venus 1, Pioneer 12)    |                          | May, 1978      |
| Pioneer Venus Multiprobe  <br>(Pioneer Venus 2, Pioneer 13) |                          | August, 1978   |
Pioneer 6-9: space weather and heliophysics data collectors
![[Pasted image 20240622153457.png]] 

Pioneer 10-11: data about Jupiter, Saturn, and the interstellar medium
![[Pasted image 20240622153552.png]]

P10-P11 carried the Pioneer plaque:![[Pasted image 20240622153607.png]]