| NASA Center: |
Headquarters |
|---|
| Image # : |
72-H-192 |
|---|
| Date : |
02/25/1972
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|---|
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Title
Pioneer F Plaque Symbology
Full Description
The Pioneer F spacecraft, destined to be the first man made object
to escape from the solar system into interstellar space, carries this
pictorial plaque. It is designed to show scientifically educated
inhabitants of some other star system, who might intercept it millions
of years from now, when Pioneer was launched, from where, and by what
kind of beings. (With the hope that they would not invade Earth.)
The design is etched into a 6 inch by 9 inch gold-anodized aluminum
plate, attached to the spacecraft's attenna support struts in a
position to help shield it from erosion by interstellar dust. The
radiating lines at left represents the positions of 14 pulsars, a cosmic
source of radio energy, arranged to indicate our sun as the home star
of our civilization.
The "1-" symbols at the ends of the lines are binary numbers that
represent the frequencies of these pulsars at the time of launch of
Pioneer F relative of that to the hydrogen atom shown at the upper
left with a "1" unity symbol. The hydrogen atom is thus used as a
"universal clock," and the regular decrease in the frequencies of the
pulsars will enable another civilization to determine the time that has
elapsed since Pioneer F was launched.
The hydrogen is also used as a "universal yardstick" for sizing the
human figures and outline of the spacecraft shown on the right. The
hydrogen wavelength, about 8 inches, multiplied by the binary number
representing "8" shown next to the woman gives her height, 64 inches.
The figures represent the type of creature that created Pioneer. The
man's hand is raised in a gesture of good will.
Across the bottom are the planets, ranging outward from the Sun, with
the spacecraft trajectory arching away from Earth, passing Mars, and
swinging by Jupiter.
Keywords
Pioneer F Plaque Pictorial Plaque Pioneer Gold-Anodized Plate
Subject Category
Space Probes,
Reference Numbers
- Center:
HQ
- Center Number:
72-H-192
- GRIN DataBase Number:
GPN-2000-001623
Source Information
- Creator/Photographer: NASA
- Original Source: DIGITAL
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Medium |
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Large |
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3002 |
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649 |
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• NASA Human Spaceflight
Updated October 31, 2002
• History Questions: NASA History Office
• Responsible NASA Official: Steve Garber
• Author: Michael Hahn. Editor: Dwayne A. Day
• Curator & Technical Questions: Erin Needham
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