Pioneer Venus Multiprobe

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Pioneer Venus Multiprobe

Pioneer Venus Multiprobe
Mission type	Venus atmospheric probes
Operator	NASA / ARC
COSPAR ID	1978-078A
SATCAT no.	11001
Website	National Space Science Data Center (NASA)
Mission duration	4 months, 1 day, 13 hours, 22 minutes
Spacecraft properties
Bus	HS-507
Manufacturer	Hughes
Launch mass	904 kilograms (1,993 lb)[1]
Dry mass	290 kilograms (640 lb) (bus) 315 kilograms (694 lb) (large probe) 3 x 90 kilograms (200 lb) (small probes)
Power	241 W
Start of mission
Launch date	August 8, 1978, 07:33 (1978-08-08UTC07:33Z) UTC[1]
Rocket	Atlas SLV-3D Centaur-D1AR
Launch site	Cape Canaveral LC-36A
End of mission
Last contact	December 9, 1978, 20:22:55 UTC (bus) December 9, 1978, 20:55:34 (1978-12-09UTC20:55:35Z) UTC (day probe)
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Heliocentric
Semi-major axis	0.9 astronomical units (130,000,000 km; 84,000,000 mi)
Eccentricity	0.19
Perihelion altitude	0.69 astronomical units (103,000,000 km; 64,000,000 mi)
Aphelion altitude	1.01 astronomical units (151,000,000 km; 94,000,000 mi)
Inclination	2.3 degrees
Period	284.0 days
Venus atmospheric probe
Spacecraft component	Large Probe
Atmospheric entry	December 9, 1978, 18:45:32 UTC
Impact date	19:39:53 UTC
Impact site	4°24′N 304°00′E / 4.4°N 304.0°E / 4.4; 304.0
Venus atmospheric probe
Spacecraft component	North Probe
Atmospheric entry	December 9, 1978, 18:49:40 UTC
Impact date	19:42:40 UTC
Impact site	59°18′N 4°48′E / 59.3°N 4.8°E / 59.3; 4.8
Venus atmospheric probe
Spacecraft component	Day Probe
Atmospheric entry	December 9, 1978, 18:52:18 UTC
Impact date	19:47:59 UTC
Impact site	31°18′S 317°00′E / 31.3°S 317.0°E / -31.3; 317.0
Venus atmospheric probe
Spacecraft component	Night Probe
Atmospheric entry	December 9, 1978, 18:56:13 UTC
Impact date	19:52:05 UTC
Impact site	28°42′S 56°42′E / 28.7°S 56.7°E / -28.7; 56.7
Venus atmospheric probe
Atmospheric entry	December 9, 1978, 20:21:52 UTC
Pioneer (Pioneer Venus) ← Pioneer 12

The Pioneer Venus Multiprobe, also known as Pioneer Venus 2 or Pioneer 13, was a spacecraft launched in 1978 to explore Venus as part of NASA's Pioneer program. This part of the mission included a spacecraft bus which was launched from Earth carrying one large and three smaller probes, which after separating penetrated the Venusian atmosphere at a different location, returning data as they descended into the planet's thick atmosphere. The entry occurred on December 9, 1978.