Pioneer 11

Mission overview

Pioneer 11 flew past Jupiter and became the first spacecraft to encounter Saturn.

Outcome & discoveries

Returned the first close observations of Saturn and its rings.

Mission profile

Knowledge connections

• Operated byNASA
• Part of programPioneer program
• Mission targetJupiter
• Mission targetSaturn

Related missions

Sources

Facts on this topic will be cited from these primary and reference sources.

• NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration

  Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.

  Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.