QUOTE (GregM @ Mar 16 2007, 10:56 PM)
If I recall correctly, it was dubbed "Pioneer Rock", and the gap between the "A" and "F" rings was called the "Pioneer Gap". Don't hold me to it - my synapses are a little fuzzy after nearly 30 years.
Yes Greg.... my synapses are probably even fuzzier but that was the name I am sure.
There was no possibility of getting good imaging of this moon during this event. First, it was unexpected and second the Pioneers used spin-scan for its camera..... there was a certain bit of rivalry between the science teams of Pioneer and Voyager, due to the simpler design of Pioneer and the heavy emphasis on particle and fields data from the Pioneers.
Pioneers were simpler spacecraft, but did a magnificent job by being first to directly probe the asteroid belt (no no knew back then whether the dust in the belts would be so dense as to damage spacecraft), first to direclty sense the radiation belts of Jupiter and Saturn, as well as determing whether the ring flyby at Saturn was safe for Voyagers (if one of these craft was go on to Uranus and Neptune). At one point in the Saturn flyby planning, one group was lobbying to send Pioneer 11 right thru the Cassini Division.
Fun thread.... brings back memories... once I get home I will check a recent book published about Pioneer...cannot remember the title right now, but I think participants of this thread will enjoy it.
PIONEER ROCK... I like that name.....
Craig