# Pioneer 10 1972-2003 **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 26, 2003, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pioneer-10-1972-2003/157542 "2003-02-26T02:53:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pioneer-10-1972-2003/157542/1 "2003-02-26T02:53:12Z")
[http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/space/02/25/pioneer.10.ap/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/space/02/25/pioneer.10.ap/index.html) > [@](#): > > The signal and the two previous signals were very faint. The Deep Space Network heard nothing from Pioneer 10 during a final attempt at contact on February 7. No more attempts are planned. The probe was a few months older than me. Considering its original mission was to end in 1974, I’d say it lived a long life. It’s kind of sad, actually. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![CuriousCanuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@CuriousCanuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CuriousCanuck)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pioneer-10-1972-2003/157542/2 "2003-02-26T02:56:21Z")
In a way it is… but it lives on… we jsut do not have the ability to hear it… ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pioneer-10-1972-2003/157542/3 "2003-02-26T03:20:01Z")
It is sad, you’re right. I was about four months old when it launched. I’ll never forget the National Geographic issue with the close-up photos of Jupiter; holy cow those were some great pictures. > [@](#): > > The spacecraft continues to coast toward the star Aldebaran in the constellation Taurus. It will take 2 million years to reach it. How about that. Two million years of silent coasting through emptiness. Gives me the willies. Plus the fantods and maybe a hint of the vapors. ---
**Author:** ![jk1245](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/49beb7/32.png) [@jk1245](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jk1245)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pioneer-10-1972-2003/157542/4 "2003-02-26T03:31:18Z")
[Ned Flanders] Godspeed, little doodle [/Ned Flanders] ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pioneer-10-1972-2003/157542/5 "2003-02-26T06:15:36Z")
That’s the one with Carl Sagan’s plaque on it. Thanks for the unforgettable pictures, little fella. Hope you run into some friends. ---
**Author:** ![Khan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3ab097/32.png) [@Khan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khan)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pioneer-10-1972-2003/157542/6 "2003-02-26T06:22:17Z")
[…until it gets blown to pieces by Klingons.](http://www.startrek.com/library/movies/v_main.asp) I sure hope our descendents are there to greet it once it reaches Aldebaran. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pioneer-10-1972-2003/157542/7 "2003-02-26T14:08:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jackelope \* > \*\*How about that. Two million years of silent coasting through emptiness. Gives me the willies. Plus the fantods and maybe a hint of the vapors. \*\* That’s what i thought too. When Poineer 10 burns upon approaching that star, there’s a good chance the human race will either have died out, or be so advanced that we colonised other planets. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pioneer-10-1972-2003/157542/8 "2003-02-26T15:06:01Z")
Is it really that much on target that it will actually hit Antares? I rather doubt that, but still, that would be neat. ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pioneer-10-1972-2003/157542/9 "2003-02-26T15:09:41Z")
Nah, it’s going in the vague direction of Antares. I doubt very much that they take into account the motion of the stars through the galaxy over the next million years when they say that’s where it’s going. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pioneer-10-1972-2003/157542/10 "2003-02-26T15:21:34Z")
Excuse my horrible spelling up there, by the way. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pioneer-10-1972-2003/157542/11 "2003-02-26T15:29:28Z")
Just substitute “your Mother-In-Law” for “Pioneer 10” and it becomes a heartwarming little story… _The Deep Space Network heard nothing from your Mother-In-Law during a final attempt at contact on February 7. No more attempts are planned._ ---
**Author:** ![Nangleator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e19adc/32.png) [@Nangleator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nangleator)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pioneer-10-1972-2003/157542/12 "2003-02-26T15:47:17Z")
Hopefully, it’ll drift for millions of years – protected as a historical landmark, visited by space-going buses full of bored kids on field trips. More likely is it will end up in some rich guy’s secret, stolen art collection, after having been nipped by one of the first space yachts. ---
**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pioneer-10-1972-2003/157542/13 "2003-02-26T16:13:01Z")
The amazing thing is that last contact was at 7.6 billion miles using an 8 watt transmitter. About the same power as a night light! ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pioneer-10-1972-2003/157542/14 "2003-02-26T16:46:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CzechMaster401k \* > \*\*[…until it gets blown to pieces by Klingons.](http://www.startrek.com/library/movies/v_main.asp) > > I sure hope our descendents are there to greet it once it reaches Aldebaran. \*\* Ditto. ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pioneer-10-1972-2003/157542/15 "2003-02-26T20:06:15Z")
“Can you hear me now?.. Good… Can you hear me _now_?.. Good… Can you hear me _now_?.. Good…” ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pioneer-10-1972-2003/157542/16 "2003-02-26T20:06:15Z")
“Can you hear me now?.. Good… Can you hear me _now_?.. Good… Can you hear me _now_?.. Good…” ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pioneer-10-1972-2003/157542/17 "2003-02-26T20:07:35Z")
Just in case you didn’t catch it the first time. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pioneer-10-1972-2003/157542/18 "2003-02-26T20:10:37Z")
First simulpost from a single person I’ve ever seen. Dude! ---
**Author:** ![Blueapple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Blueapple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blueapple)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2003, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pioneer-10-1972-2003/157542/19 "2003-02-27T03:35:19Z")
What else do you expect from us Arlingtonians?! 😉