The precursor of the interstellar missions such as Voyager 1 and 2 and New Horizons, Pioneer 10 was the first space vehicle to cross the interstellar space. Credit: NASA
Pioneer 10 holds the titles for many “first”: it was the first mission of NASA in the external planets, the first spatial vehicle to fly beyond Mars, the first to cross the asteroid belt and the first to fly beyond Jupiter. It was also the first space vehicle placed on a trajectory to escape the solar system in the interstellar space. On June 13, 1983, Pioneer 10 crossed the orbit of Neptune, confirming his path outside the sun system and opening the road to Voyager 1 and Voyager 2, as well as new horizons. Designed for a 21 -month mission, Pioneer 10 has far exceeded expectations, returning data for over 30 years. His last signal was received on January 23, 2003.
