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Pioneer 10

The first spacecraft to travel through the Asteroid Belt.

Mission Overview

Launched to study Jupiter and the outer solar system. It was the first human-made object to achieve the velocity needed to escape the solar system entirely.

Learning from History

"It carries a gold-anodized plaque depicting humans and Earth's location in case it is ever found by extraterrestrials."

Mission Specs
Year1973
CountryUSA
TypeProbe
DestinationJupiter / Deep Space
Status Decommissioned
RocketAtlas-Centaur