May 18 1983
From The Space Library
Pioneer 9, orbiting the Sun since its November 1968 launch, returned its last signals to Earth. The 148-pound TRW-built craft and its sisters, Pioneer 6, Pioneer 7, and Pioneer 8, were among the earliest interplanetary probes, and the other three were still functioning. Designed to transmit data for only six months, Pioneer 9 had continued to do so until May 18, 1983. ARC engineers tried vainly to revive it. (NASA Release 87-23; W Post, Mar 5/87, A-9)
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