On this day in space! Sept. 1, 1979: NASA's Pioneer 11 probe becomes 1st spacecraft to visit Saturn
On Sept. 1, 1979, NASA's robotic space probe Pioneer 11 became the first spacecraft to fly by Saturn. Here's why it mattered.
On September 1, 1979, NASA's robotic space probe Pioneer 11 achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first spacecraft to visit Saturn. Launched in 1973, the probe had initially embarked on a mission to explore the asteroid belt, Jupiter, and Saturn. After launching directly towards Jupiter, Pioneer 11 utilized the planet's gravity to perform a gravity assist maneuver, turning sharply and embarking on a trajectory toward Saturn.
Four years and nine months later, it successfully reached Saturn, making its closest approach at an altitude of approximately 13,000 miles (2,100 kilometers) above the planet's cloud tops.
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- Pioneer 11: Watching the Saturn watchers earthsky.org
