June 13, 1983: Pioneer 10 Reaches an End … and a Beginning

1983: Pioneer 10 becomes the first human-made object to pass outside Pluto’s orbit and leave the central solar system. Pioneer 10 must be considered one of the most successful spacecraft of all time. Designed for deep-space exploration, which at the time of its launch in 1972 meant pretty much anything beyond the moon, Pioneer 10 [...]