Space History Photo: Testing Pioneer F Spacecraft

News
By
published
space history, nasa, space probes
On Jan. 25, 1972, technicians prepare Pioneer F spacecraft for testing in the Space Simulation Chamber. (Image credit: NASA.)

In this historical photo from the U.S. space agency, technicians prepare Pioneer F spacecraft for testing in the Space Simulation Chamber at TRW Systems, Redondo Beach, California, on Jan. 25, 1972. The chamber subjects the spacecraft to the heat, cold, vacuum and simulated radiation that it encounters in space.

Pioneer F is the first spacecraft designed to travel into the outer solar system and operate effectively there, for possibly as long as seven years and as far from the sun as 1.5 billion miles. Its primary objective will be to take the first close-up look at the planet Jupiter, its moons and environment.

Each weekday, SPACE.com looks back at the history of spaceflight through photos (archive).

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.

NASA Archives
NASA Archives
U.S. Space Agency

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the U.S. government agency in charge of the civilian space program as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. Founded in 1958, NASA is a civilian space agency aimed at exploring the universe with space telescopes,  satellites, robotic spacecraft, astronauts and more. The space agency has 10 major centers based across the U.S. and launches robotic and crewed missions from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral Florida. It's astronaut corps is based at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. To follow NASA's latest mission, follow the space agency on Twitter or any other social channel, of visit: nasa.gov.