Automoderated users, edit
3,552
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Created page with 'The '''Pioneer anomaly''' refers to deviations in projected courses for several spacecraft sent to the outer solar system. The effect is believed to have influenced the courses ...'
The '''Pioneer anomaly''' refers to deviations in projected courses for several spacecraft sent to the outer solar system. The effect is believed to have influenced the courses of both Pioneer spacecraft, Galileo, and Ulysses. The courses for the Voyager spacecraft and Cassini were not able to be predicted accurately due to known but unpredictable effects on these craft, and if the anomaly affects these spacecraft, it would not be distinguishable from other effects.
Critics of [[General relativity|general relativity]] cite the Pioneer anomaly as an error in the theory.
==Discovery==
Every spacecraft sent to the outer solar system is intended to follow a specific course. The theory of [[General relativity|general relativity]] is used to predict these courses. The spacecrafts are then tracked during flight. By the use of [[Doppler effect|Doppler radar]], the courses for both the Pioneer spacecraft have showed a constant acceleration towards the sun of <math>8.74 \times 10^{10} \frac{m}{s^2} \ </math> which was not part of the predicted course.
Although the Galileo and Ulysses spacecraft showed some unexpected sunward acceleration, other unpredicatble factors, such as the [[Yarkovsky effect]] and the thrust caused by radioactive material onboard, prohibit any accurate measurement of the effect on these two spacecraft.
Other crafts suffer the same difficulties as the Galileo and Ulysses crafts, although more significant, preventing even a discussion of whether these crafts are effected at all.
==Explanations==
There are many possible explanations for the effect, including a failure of general relativity at these speeds or distances.
{{Relativity}}
Critics of [[General relativity|general relativity]] cite the Pioneer anomaly as an error in the theory.
==Discovery==
Every spacecraft sent to the outer solar system is intended to follow a specific course. The theory of [[General relativity|general relativity]] is used to predict these courses. The spacecrafts are then tracked during flight. By the use of [[Doppler effect|Doppler radar]], the courses for both the Pioneer spacecraft have showed a constant acceleration towards the sun of <math>8.74 \times 10^{10} \frac{m}{s^2} \ </math> which was not part of the predicted course.
Although the Galileo and Ulysses spacecraft showed some unexpected sunward acceleration, other unpredicatble factors, such as the [[Yarkovsky effect]] and the thrust caused by radioactive material onboard, prohibit any accurate measurement of the effect on these two spacecraft.
Other crafts suffer the same difficulties as the Galileo and Ulysses crafts, although more significant, preventing even a discussion of whether these crafts are effected at all.
==Explanations==
There are many possible explanations for the effect, including a failure of general relativity at these speeds or distances.
{{Relativity}}