St. Louis Science Center: Astronomy Fact Of The Day: March 3, 2022

St. Louis MO

04 March, 2022

9:31 AM

Description

Press release from St. Louis Science Center: March 03, 2022 On this date in 1972, the American probe Pioneer 10 launched using a three-stage version of the Atlas-Centaur which included a TE-M-364-4 solid propellant engine modified from the Surveyor lander. The probe reached a maximum escape velocity of 32,110 miles per hour (51,682 kilometers per hour), which made it the fastest human-made object in existence, up to that point. This press release was produced by St. Louis Science Center. The views expressed here are the author's own.