Pioneer VIn 1960, Pioneer V was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, in one of the first in-depth attempts to study the solar system. The spacecraft was carried into space on a Thor-Able three stage rocket. It was a beach ball sized spacecraft equipped with four paddle like solar cells that recharged the on-board batteries that provided electrical power. Pioneer V entered an orbit around the Sun between Earth and Venus. It provided a wealth of new data on interplanetary space including measurements of magnetic fields, cosmic radiation, electrical fields and micrometeorites. It was stabilized by slowly spinning about its axis. The spacecraft transmitted information until 26 Jun 1960 when it was 22.5 million miles (36 million km) from Earth. |
