Pioneer 6, 7, 8, and 9

*Pioneer 6*, 7, 8, and 9
	Artist's conception of the Pioneer 6–9 spacecraft.
Mission type	Interplanetary space
Operator	NASA
COSPAR ID	Pioneer 6: 1965-105A; Pioneer 7: 1966-075A; Pioneer 8: 1967-123A; Pioneer 9: 1968-100A;
SATCAT no.	Pioneer 6: 1841; Pioneer 7: 2398; Pioneer 8: 3066; Pioneer 9: 3533;
Mission duration	Pioneer 6: 34 years, 11 months and 22 days; Pioneer 7: 28 years, 7 months and 14 days; Pioneer 8: 28 years, 8 months and 9 days; Pioneer 9: 14 years, 6 months and 11 days;
Spacecraft properties
Manufacturer	TRW
Launch mass	Pioneer 6: 62.14 kg; Pioneer 7: 62.75 kg; Pioneer 8 and 9: 65.36 kg;
Power	79 W
Start of mission
Launch date	Pioneer 6: 16 December 1965, 07:31:21 UTC; Pioneer 7: 17 August 1966, 15:20:17 UTC; Pioneer 8: 13 December 1967, 14:08 UTC ; Pioneer 9: 8 November 1968, 09:46:29 UTC; Pioneer E: 27 August 1969, 21:59:00 UTC;
Rocket	Pioneer 6–9: Delta E; Pioneer E: Delta L;
Launch site	Pioneer 6, 7, and E: Cape Canaveral, LC-17A; Pioneer 8 and 9: Cape Canaveral, LC-17B;
End of mission
Last contact	Pioneer 6: 8 December 2000; Pioneer 7: 31 March 1995; Pioneer 8: 22 August 1996; Pioneer 9: 19 May 1983;
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Heliocentric
Perihelion altitude	between 0.75 to 1 AU
Aphelion altitude	between 0.99 to 1.2 AU
	Pioneer program ← Pioneer 5 Pioneer 10 →

Pioneer 6, 7, 8, and 9 were space probes in the Pioneer program, launched between 1965 and 1969. They were a series of solar-orbiting, spin-stabilized, solar cell- and battery-powered satellites designed to obtain measurements on a continuing basis of interplanetary phenomena from widely separated points in space.^[5] They were also known as Pioneer A, B, C, and D. The fifth (Pioneer E) was lost in a launch accident, and therefore did not receive a numerical designation.

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Spacecraft properties
Artist's conception of the Pioneer 6–9 spacecraft.

Mission type	Interplanetary space
Operator	NASA
COSPAR ID	Pioneer 6: 1965-105A Pioneer 7: 1966-075A Pioneer 8: 1967-123A Pioneer 9: 1968-100A
SATCAT no.	Pioneer 6: 1841 Pioneer 7: 2398 Pioneer 8: 3066 Pioneer 9: 3533
Mission duration	Pioneer 6: 34 years, 11 months and 22 days Pioneer 7: 28 years, 7 months and 14 days Pioneer 8: 28 years, 8 months and 9 days Pioneer 9: 14 years, 6 months and 11 days


Manufacturer	TRW
Launch mass	Pioneer 6: 62.14 kg Pioneer 7: 62.75 kg Pioneer 8 and 9: 65.36 kg
Power	79 W


Start of mission
Launch date	Pioneer 6: 16 December 1965, 07:31:21 (1965-12-16UTC07:31:21Z) UTC^[1] Pioneer 7: 17 August 1966, 15:20:17 (1966-08-17UTC15:20:17Z) UTC^[2] Pioneer 8: 13 December 1967, 14:08 (1967-12-13UTC14:08Z) UTC ^[3] Pioneer 9: 8 November 1968, 09:46:29 (1968-11-08UTC09:46:29Z) UTC^[4] Pioneer E: 27 August 1969, 21:59:00 (1969-08-27UTC21:59Z) UTC
Rocket	Pioneer 6–9: Delta E Pioneer E: Delta L
Launch site	Pioneer 6, 7, and E: Cape Canaveral, LC-17A Pioneer 8 and 9: Cape Canaveral, LC-17B


End of mission
Last contact	Pioneer 6: 8 December 2000 Pioneer 7: 31 March 1995 Pioneer 8: 22 August 1996 Pioneer 9: 19 May 1983


Orbital parameters
Reference system	Heliocentric
Perihelion altitude	between 0.75 to 1 AU
Aphelion altitude	between 0.99 to 1.2 AU

Pioneer program ← Pioneer 5 Pioneer 10 →