Pioneer 10 - 31 yrs later

[Sweet]

This is pretty amazing and inspirational. The numbers in this article are awesome. I wonder what they are doing with all of that information?

here's the full story...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0226073614.htm

[skuz]

That's the reliable old stuff. With today's electronics, nothing will last this long.

Very interesting reading.

[Skywalker[TSG]]

Impressive !

[Epidemic]

With today's electronics, nothing will last this long.

They might get so complex that failure happens but my first computer still works. My cell phone is running 3 years 1500 minutes a month and has never been turned off. People pick on technology but Mill spec stuff is about as reliable as you can get and as long as your program does not fail then it will run for ever.

I often hear about the reliability of old cars which is kinda funny compare a 1940's what ever and you would have had to rebuild it 4 times and had it in the garage 20 times beyond maintenance in the time it takes your car to hickup.

don't be too hard on new stuff. New stuff does more then old stuff and does it faster and cheaper.

The equivlent to pioneer would still be going today because it would have drawn 1/10th the juice and weighed 1% of what that craft did and done 5,000 times as many measurements. So it would have exited the solar system 15 years ago due to increased velocity.

[griobhta]

Have to agree with Epidemic here esp when it comes to the space program. Much of the failures of recent years have been due to bad and confused planning. Cost cutting measures, like transporting satelites to launch sites by road rather than air.

With other new stuff If you by something quality these days you should still expect years many years out of it. Might not get all the glitzy packaging and accessories that you never really ever used, and that is probably a good thing. If you are carefull what you buy you should be rewarded.

g

[MD1032]

WOW. Jeez, I wonder if today's technology could put out something like that? Lasted 30 years? Man, they must have had one heck of a power source in there.

[Epidemic]

the power source was nuclear and yes we could put one out just like it. We are not talking about your standard duracel.

[Richard Cranium]

"Originally designed for a 21-month mission, Pioneer 10 lasted more than 30 years. It was a workhorse that far exceeded its warranty, and I guess you could say we got our money's worth,"

Pioneer 10 was built by TRW Inc., Redondo Beach, Calif.
launched March 2, 1972

[Richard Cranium]

At last contact, Pioneer 10 was 7.6 billion miles from Earth

At that distance, it takes more than 11 hours and 20 minutes for the radio signal, traveling at the speed of light, to reach the Earth.

[Knothead]

Keyword: Mil-Spec...

Meaning, Military Specifications...that baby was so overbuilt, the guys building it were taking stuff home and making it as good as they possibly could. What a great project that was!

I have a stereo amplifier ("Ampzilla", made by Great American Sound) built in 1976. They built their stuff to MilSpecs, also. The amp cost me $900 back then and it still rocks this joint!