1965-105A
The first Solar Pioneer, Pioneer A was built by TRW for NASA-Ames. The spin stabilized cylindrical Solar Pioneers would study the solar wind. Pioneer A was launched at 0731:20 by Delta E from Kennedy and became Pioneer VI. The Delta stage separated at 0756:07 and the X-258 ignited at 0756:40 to insert Pioneer into solar orbit. It was still transmitting in 2000, the longest surviving spacecraft.
| Pioneer 6 | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 Dec 16 | 0731:21 | Launch by Delta E | CK LC17A |
| T+0:43 SRM burnout | |||
| T+1:10 SRM sep | |||
| 0733:49 | T+2:28 Thor S/N 20203 MECO 89 km | ||
| 0733:54 | T+2:33s Delta E S/N 20202 burn, 6:18 | ||
| T+2:33s Thor sep | -5343 x 204 x 29.9 | ||
| T+2:59s Fairing | |||
| 0740:12 | T+8:51 Delta SECO | ||
| 0756:07 | T+24:46 St 3 spinup | ||
| 0756:09 | Delta sep | 273 x 1267 x 30.2 | |
| 0756:18 | X-258-C4 RH-90 burn, 23s | ||
| 0756:42 | X-258 burnout | ||
| 0757:42? | X-258 sep | ||
| 0757 | Deploy booms | 558 x -291986 x 30.23 | |
| 1965 Dec 26? | Solar orbit (1Mkm) | ||
| 1975 | Last data to be archived | ||
| 1988 Oct | Passed 3Mkm from Earth | ||
| 1997 Oct 6 | Plasma and cosmic ray data OK | ||
| 2000 Dec 8 | Telemetry received in anniversary contact | ||
