Finding the Source of the Pioneer Anomaly

The team’s eventual geometric model divided the surface of each spacecraft into 3300 patches and incorporated documented thermal properties of the materials used to construct the probes. We used the model to show how heat flowed across and radiated off various parts, and with those results, we estimated the magnitude of the thermal recoil force at different times over the course of the Pioneer missions. After matching the model to the Pioneers’ temperature and electrical readings, we found that the spacecraft did experience a sizable thermal recoil force, corresponding to an excess of about 60 W even after 20 years in deep space. The magnitude of the force was still tiny by Earth standards—about the same as the backward push your car experiences in reaction to the photons spit out by its high-beam headlights. The team found that a good half of the force came from heat from...

Full article: http://spectrum.ieee.org/aerospace/astrophysics/finding-t...

Tweets

@RLGSC » 25 Dec '12, 3pm
Small effects over extended time have impact. Pioneer 10/11 trajectory affected by waste heat. [link]
@oakblood3 » 19 Dec '12, 3pm
Finding the Source of the Pioneer Anomaly: "Pioneer 10 and 11 ... also underscore the value of data preservation." [link]
@KaalARosser » 19 Dec '12, 1pm
♻ @stevepoling: This mystery of deepest space baffled NASA for 30 years. It's now solved [link] [Great piece of science!]
@ConvergentSpace » 19 Dec '12, 12pm
RT @stevepoling: This mystery of deepest space baffled NASA for 30 years. It's now solved [link]
@stevepoling » 19 Dec '12, 12pm
This mystery of deepest space baffled NASA for 30 years. It's now solved [link]
@lmc1990 » 17 Dec '12, 7pm
More data archaeology. "Every experiment needs a clear plan in place to ensure that a record of the original... [link]
@albertzurita » 16 Dec '12, 6pm
Fantastic hard work by @NASAJPL RT @IEEEorg:We now know why Pioneer spacecraft slowed down 30 yr ago [link] #space
@gnugoo » 08 Dec '12, 8am
RT @statto: A genuinely enjoyable shaggy dog story about discovery, data, over-obsessiveness [link] #broughttearstomyeyes
@natureboy153 » 08 Dec '12, 3am
RT @brandon_rhodes: WOW—“There was no requirement that NASA archive these…[but] Larry Kellogg had been informally preserving Pioneer data…” [link]
@brandon_rhodes » 07 Dec '12, 8pm
WOW—“There was no requirement that NASA archive these…[but] Larry Kellogg had been informally preserving Pioneer data…” [link]
@nutjob4life » 07 Dec '12, 7pm
Why you should save ALL the data FOREVER: [link]
@StevenJCrowley » 07 Dec '12, 2pm
Puzzling Pioneer deceleration caused by the asymmetric radiation of waste heat created onboard the spacecraft [link]
@statto » 07 Dec '12, 1pm
A genuinely enjoyable shaggy dog story about discovery, data, over-obsessiveness, and Einstein being right AGAIN [link]
@e_scitalk » 07 Dec '12, 12pm
Solving Pioneer 10, 11's mysterious slowdown with #OldData [link] -more on #BigData in latest e-SB [link]
@andreweckford » 07 Dec '12, 1am
RT @IEEEorg: We now know why the Pioneer spacecraft slowed down 30 years ago [link] via @IEEESpectrum #space
@IEEEorg » 07 Dec '12, 1am
We now know why the Pioneer spacecraft slowed down 30 years ago [link] via @IEEESpectrum #space
@OBASHI_Chief » 06 Dec '12, 2pm
30 years ago, the 1st spacecraft sent to explore outer solar system started slowing unexpectedly. Why? [link] | #data #science
@adm1nspotter » 04 Dec '12, 9pm
Why are Pioneer 10 and 11 slowing down? [link]
@Doc_Vaughan » 04 Dec '12, 12am
Those Pioneer missions are impressive. [link]
@johnobeto » 03 Dec '12, 4pm
Great research, excellent article > Finding the Source of the Pioneer Anomaly [link]
@eepublishers » 03 Dec '12, 6am
RT @IEEESpectrum: Finding the Source of the Pioneer Anomaly: 30 years ago, the first spacecraft sent from solar system. [link]
@rblumel » 03 Dec '12, 4am
RT @PlanetCharlene: Something to be proud of helping along RT @albertoconti Finding the Source of the Pioneer Anomaly [link]
@PlanetCharlene » 02 Dec '12, 10pm
Something to be proud of helping along RT @albertoconti Finding the Source of the Pioneer Anomaly [link]
@hurriednotes » 02 Dec '12, 6pm
Finding the Source of the Pioneer Anomaly [link] #SpaceDetectives #datapreservation #scientificmethod
@dennis_news » 01 Dec '12, 10pm
Finding the Source of the Pioneer Anomaly [link] via @zite #Pioneer #NASA
@GetGlobalEdge » 01 Dec '12, 1pm
Aerospace _/~ Finding the Source of the Pioneer Anomaly: Thirty years ago, the first spacecra... [link] #aero #space #tech
@bluant » 01 Dec '12, 6am
Finding the Source of the Pioneer Anomaly [link] via @zite
@AmBeautifulShow » 01 Dec '12, 1am
RT @IEEE_TA: #IEEE #Aerospace Finding the Source of the Pioneer Anomaly - Thirty years ago, the first spacecraft sent to explore ... [link]
@doug_burke » 01 Dec '12, 1am
Finding the source of the Pioneer anomaly highlights the importance of easy/open access to data [link]
@IEEE_TA » 01 Dec '12, 12am
#IEEE #Aerospace Finding the Source of the Pioneer Anomaly - Thirty years ago, the first spacecraft sent to explore ... [link]
@solartechnic » 30 Nov '12, 9pm
Finding the Source of the Pioneer Anomaly - IEEE Spectrum [link]
@tim_harper » 30 Nov '12, 8pm
RT @CientificaLtd: Finding the Source of the Pioneer Anomaly [link]
@rcourt » 30 Nov '12, 8pm
In our Dec cover feature, @vttoth and Slava Turyshev explain how they solved the mystery of the Pioneer anomaly: [link]
@EstebanOli » 30 Nov '12, 7pm
RT @IEEESpectrum: Finding the Source of the Pioneer Anomaly: Thirty years ago, the first spacecraft sent to explore the outer sola... [link]
@IEEEGreen » 30 Nov '12, 7pm
Finding the Source of the Pioneer Anomaly [link] #IEEE #IEEEGreen
@IEEESpectrum » 30 Nov '12, 7pm
Finding the Source of the Pioneer Anomaly: Thirty years ago, the first spacecraft sent to explore the outer sola... [link]
@dennisbrophy » 30 Nov '12, 7pm
RT @IEEESpectrum: Finding the Source of the Pioneer Anomaly: Thirty years ago, the first spacecraft sent to explore the outer sola... [link]
@CientificaLtd » 30 Nov '12, 7pm
Finding the Source of the Pioneer Anomaly [link]
@trekkinglemon » 30 Nov '12, 7pm
RT @IEEESpectrum: Finding the Source of the Pioneer Anomaly: Thirty years ago, the first spacecraft sent to explore the outer sola... [link]
@electrosoftinc » 30 Nov '12, 7pm
Finding the Source of the Pioneer Anomaly [link]
@wkenneth » 30 Nov '12, 7pm
Finding the Source of the Pioneer Anomaly: Thirty years ago, the first spacecraft sent to explore the outer sola... [link]