Pioneer E
Pioneer E was NASA Ames' final probe in the 1960s Pioneer series intended to study interplanetary space from solar orbit. Its instruments included a magnetometer, plasma analyzer, electric-field and cosmic-ray detectors, and a cosmic-dust detector. A first-stage hydraulic failure during its August 27, 1969 launch caused an unrecoverable trajectory error; ground control destroyed the launch vehicle before the probe could begin its planned solar-orbit mission.
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Identity
- Aliases
- Pioneer EPioneer-EPioneer E solar-orbit probe
- Name
- Pioneer E
- Status
- failed
Details
- Astronauts
- -
- Description
- Pioneer E was NASA Ames' final probe in the 1960s Pioneer series intended to study interplanetary space from solar orbit. Its instruments included a magnetometer, plasma analyzer, electric-field and cosmic-ray detectors, and a cosmic-dust detector. A first-stage hydraulic failure during its August 27, 1969 launch caused an unrecoverable trajectory error; ground control destroyed the launch vehicle before the probe could begin its planned solar-orbit mission.
- Destination
- No orbit achieved; first-stage hydraulic failure caused loss of control and range-safety destruction at T+484 seconds
- End Date
- 1969-08-27
- Outcome
- The intended interplanetary science mission was not achieved because the spacecraft was lost during launch.
- Programs
- Start Date
- 1969-08-27
- Vehicle Families
Links
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- August 14, 2026 at 18:04:09 UTC
- Updated Time
- October 17, 2026 at 14:03:10 UTC
Other
- Affiliations
- -
- Space Stations
- -
- Vehicles