Infrared radiometer for the pioneer 10 and 11 missions to jupiter

Area of Science:

• Planetary Science
• Infrared Astronomy
• Spacecraft Instrumentation

Background:

• Pioneer 10 mission objectives included studying Jupiter and its moons.
• Understanding the thermal properties of gas giants is crucial for planetary science.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the infrared radiometer instrument onboard Pioneer 10.
• To detail the instrument's capabilities for measuring Jupiter's thermal properties.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a two-channel infrared radiometer with a Cassegrainian telescope.
• Employed reststrahlen filters for 14-25 micrometer and 30-56 micrometer bands.
• Used 88-junction evaporated thin-film thermopiles as detectors.

Main Results:

• The instrument successfully gathered data on Jupiter's thermal characteristics.
• The all-beryllium construction met stringent weight constraints (2 kg).
• The instrument operated with a low power consumption of 1.2 W.

Conclusions:

• The Pioneer 10 infrared radiometer was a successful instrument for planetary thermal studies.
• The instrument's design demonstrated effective solutions for space-constrained missions.
• Data collected contributed to understanding Jupiter's atmospheric and surface temperatures.