Goals: Pioneer 11 was the first mission to explore Saturn and the second spacecraft in humanity's early reconnaissance of the outer solar system. It was also the second spacecraft to achieve enough velocity to leave our solar system.
Accomplishments: Scientists maintained contact with the spacecraft for 22 years after launch, collecting data on the outer solar system and spacecraft performance. Pioneer 11 sent back a few minutes of engineering data in November 1995. Contact was lost a short time later.
The dormant spacecraft is now headed out of our solar system in the general direction of Sagittarius, toward the center of the galaxy. Both Pioneers 10 and 11 carry a plaque with a message for any intelligent beings that might find them.
Both Pioneer 10 and 11 carry a plaque describing the spacecraft, human beings and the location of our solar system.
