Why Voyager/Pioneer is so slow compared to Parker Solar Probe











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3
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Deep space probes should be the fastest ones, due to incredible distances they are supposed to travel. AFAIK, Parker Solar (PS) will reach more than 600.000 km/h, incredible. On the other hand, Pioneer's/Voyager's speed is around 50.000 km/h, so about 10% of the PS.



I guess the Sun gravity helps PS to reach this enormous speed (0.05% c), but deep space probes could get speed by Sun as well... or I don't know, but with this speed, new probes could catch Voyager/Pioneer in 5 years. And they could reach far beyond those current 2 furthest.



So why are they slow compared to PS?










share|improve this question




















  • 2




    I do not understand your contention that deep space probes should be the fastest ones. Voyager and Pioneer did not make close approaches to the sun. How would deep space probes "get speed by Sun?"
    – Bob516
    2 hours ago








  • 3




    On your bicycle, you can go faster going downhill than uphill.
    – Dan Pichelman
    2 hours ago










  • Thanks. Ok, so that high speed is mainly due to the Sun gravity, and obviously when going away, it will just pull back.
    – Zotyi
    1 hour ago










  • You are correct: the Voyagers and New Horizons were some of the fastest spacecraft we've ever launched. They used the largest rockets available at the time. But after launch, gravity takes over as explained in the answer.
    – Hobbes
    1 hour ago










  • And you do want deep space missions to be fast, to reduce the waiting time before you get results back.
    – Hobbes
    1 hour ago















up vote
3
down vote

favorite












Deep space probes should be the fastest ones, due to incredible distances they are supposed to travel. AFAIK, Parker Solar (PS) will reach more than 600.000 km/h, incredible. On the other hand, Pioneer's/Voyager's speed is around 50.000 km/h, so about 10% of the PS.



I guess the Sun gravity helps PS to reach this enormous speed (0.05% c), but deep space probes could get speed by Sun as well... or I don't know, but with this speed, new probes could catch Voyager/Pioneer in 5 years. And they could reach far beyond those current 2 furthest.



So why are they slow compared to PS?










share|improve this question




















  • 2




    I do not understand your contention that deep space probes should be the fastest ones. Voyager and Pioneer did not make close approaches to the sun. How would deep space probes "get speed by Sun?"
    – Bob516
    2 hours ago








  • 3




    On your bicycle, you can go faster going downhill than uphill.
    – Dan Pichelman
    2 hours ago










  • Thanks. Ok, so that high speed is mainly due to the Sun gravity, and obviously when going away, it will just pull back.
    – Zotyi
    1 hour ago










  • You are correct: the Voyagers and New Horizons were some of the fastest spacecraft we've ever launched. They used the largest rockets available at the time. But after launch, gravity takes over as explained in the answer.
    – Hobbes
    1 hour ago










  • And you do want deep space missions to be fast, to reduce the waiting time before you get results back.
    – Hobbes
    1 hour ago













up vote
3
down vote

favorite









up vote
3
down vote

favorite











Deep space probes should be the fastest ones, due to incredible distances they are supposed to travel. AFAIK, Parker Solar (PS) will reach more than 600.000 km/h, incredible. On the other hand, Pioneer's/Voyager's speed is around 50.000 km/h, so about 10% of the PS.



I guess the Sun gravity helps PS to reach this enormous speed (0.05% c), but deep space probes could get speed by Sun as well... or I don't know, but with this speed, new probes could catch Voyager/Pioneer in 5 years. And they could reach far beyond those current 2 furthest.



So why are they slow compared to PS?










share|improve this question















Deep space probes should be the fastest ones, due to incredible distances they are supposed to travel. AFAIK, Parker Solar (PS) will reach more than 600.000 km/h, incredible. On the other hand, Pioneer's/Voyager's speed is around 50.000 km/h, so about 10% of the PS.



I guess the Sun gravity helps PS to reach this enormous speed (0.05% c), but deep space probes could get speed by Sun as well... or I don't know, but with this speed, new probes could catch Voyager/Pioneer in 5 years. And they could reach far beyond those current 2 furthest.



So why are they slow compared to PS?







voyager pioneer parker-solar-probe speed






share|improve this question















share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited 2 hours ago









Jack

7,45513152




7,45513152










asked 2 hours ago









Zotyi

1295




1295








  • 2




    I do not understand your contention that deep space probes should be the fastest ones. Voyager and Pioneer did not make close approaches to the sun. How would deep space probes "get speed by Sun?"
    – Bob516
    2 hours ago








  • 3




    On your bicycle, you can go faster going downhill than uphill.
    – Dan Pichelman
    2 hours ago










  • Thanks. Ok, so that high speed is mainly due to the Sun gravity, and obviously when going away, it will just pull back.
    – Zotyi
    1 hour ago










  • You are correct: the Voyagers and New Horizons were some of the fastest spacecraft we've ever launched. They used the largest rockets available at the time. But after launch, gravity takes over as explained in the answer.
    – Hobbes
    1 hour ago










  • And you do want deep space missions to be fast, to reduce the waiting time before you get results back.
    – Hobbes
    1 hour ago














  • 2




    I do not understand your contention that deep space probes should be the fastest ones. Voyager and Pioneer did not make close approaches to the sun. How would deep space probes "get speed by Sun?"
    – Bob516
    2 hours ago








  • 3




    On your bicycle, you can go faster going downhill than uphill.
    – Dan Pichelman
    2 hours ago










  • Thanks. Ok, so that high speed is mainly due to the Sun gravity, and obviously when going away, it will just pull back.
    – Zotyi
    1 hour ago










  • You are correct: the Voyagers and New Horizons were some of the fastest spacecraft we've ever launched. They used the largest rockets available at the time. But after launch, gravity takes over as explained in the answer.
    – Hobbes
    1 hour ago










  • And you do want deep space missions to be fast, to reduce the waiting time before you get results back.
    – Hobbes
    1 hour ago








2




2




I do not understand your contention that deep space probes should be the fastest ones. Voyager and Pioneer did not make close approaches to the sun. How would deep space probes "get speed by Sun?"
– Bob516
2 hours ago






I do not understand your contention that deep space probes should be the fastest ones. Voyager and Pioneer did not make close approaches to the sun. How would deep space probes "get speed by Sun?"
– Bob516
2 hours ago






3




3




On your bicycle, you can go faster going downhill than uphill.
– Dan Pichelman
2 hours ago




On your bicycle, you can go faster going downhill than uphill.
– Dan Pichelman
2 hours ago












Thanks. Ok, so that high speed is mainly due to the Sun gravity, and obviously when going away, it will just pull back.
– Zotyi
1 hour ago




Thanks. Ok, so that high speed is mainly due to the Sun gravity, and obviously when going away, it will just pull back.
– Zotyi
1 hour ago












You are correct: the Voyagers and New Horizons were some of the fastest spacecraft we've ever launched. They used the largest rockets available at the time. But after launch, gravity takes over as explained in the answer.
– Hobbes
1 hour ago




You are correct: the Voyagers and New Horizons were some of the fastest spacecraft we've ever launched. They used the largest rockets available at the time. But after launch, gravity takes over as explained in the answer.
– Hobbes
1 hour ago












And you do want deep space missions to be fast, to reduce the waiting time before you get results back.
– Hobbes
1 hour ago




And you do want deep space missions to be fast, to reduce the waiting time before you get results back.
– Hobbes
1 hour ago










2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes

















up vote
6
down vote



accepted










Physical



First and foremost, the physical reason is that objects accelerate as they approach massive bodies and decelerate as they recede:



Parker Solar Probe achieves its peak orbital speed (almost 200 km/s eventually) at its closest approaches to the Sun - as it falls inwards towards the Sun on each orbit it speeds up then slows down again on the way back out. At its aphelion, however, its speed drops to less than 20 km/s.



On the other hand the Voyagers, Pioneers and New Horizons are all moving away from the Sun. Since their final respective gravity assists, they have been gradually losing speed - note they will not come to a halt and fall back to the Sun though because they exceed escape velocity.



Practical



All of the deep space probes had primary missions to explore the outer planets in our Solar System. Because of this, your assumption that




Deep space probes should be the fastest ones, due to incredible distances they supposed to travel




isn't really correct. They weren't designed to travel vast (interstellar) distances as quickly as possible; they were designed to reach the outer planets intact and relay data back to Earth. Since completing this task, they have been essentially drifting off into deep space. They obviously are still transmitting very valuable data, but this is a secondary objective.



Parker Solar Probe, however, was designed to get as close to the Sun as possible (within technical limitations) and, as a result of its trajectory, achieve very high speeds.



Further reading:




  • Why did Voyager 2's velocity drop far below escape velocity before
    the first gravity assist?

  • What is the fastest can we or have ever traveled in space?

  • Could the sun be used as a gravity assist outside the solar system (with current tech)?

  • Shortest time to place a probe further than Voyager 1?


For reference, compare the speed plots of Parker Solar Probe, showing its increasing peak speed with successive orbits, and Voyager 2, showing its decreasing speed as it moves away from the Sun:



enter image description hereImage credit: Phoenix7777, Wikimedia



enter image description here



Image credit: Cmglee, Wikimedia






share|improve this answer



















  • 1




    Thanks. It makes sense. They weren't designed to travel vast (interstellar) distances as quickly as possible - this is pity...
    – Zotyi
    1 hour ago


















up vote
6
down vote













GravityWellFunnels



You have probably seen funnels like the above in shopping malls. Drop a coin in the funnel and it will move slowly at the edge and move faster as it nears the center.



This is a good model of a gravity well. Stuff moves a lot faster in the inner solar system.






share|improve this answer

















  • 1




    Thanks. Yes, it makes sense now.
    – Zotyi
    1 hour ago











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2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes








2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes









active

oldest

votes






active

oldest

votes








up vote
6
down vote



accepted










Physical



First and foremost, the physical reason is that objects accelerate as they approach massive bodies and decelerate as they recede:



Parker Solar Probe achieves its peak orbital speed (almost 200 km/s eventually) at its closest approaches to the Sun - as it falls inwards towards the Sun on each orbit it speeds up then slows down again on the way back out. At its aphelion, however, its speed drops to less than 20 km/s.



On the other hand the Voyagers, Pioneers and New Horizons are all moving away from the Sun. Since their final respective gravity assists, they have been gradually losing speed - note they will not come to a halt and fall back to the Sun though because they exceed escape velocity.



Practical



All of the deep space probes had primary missions to explore the outer planets in our Solar System. Because of this, your assumption that




Deep space probes should be the fastest ones, due to incredible distances they supposed to travel




isn't really correct. They weren't designed to travel vast (interstellar) distances as quickly as possible; they were designed to reach the outer planets intact and relay data back to Earth. Since completing this task, they have been essentially drifting off into deep space. They obviously are still transmitting very valuable data, but this is a secondary objective.



Parker Solar Probe, however, was designed to get as close to the Sun as possible (within technical limitations) and, as a result of its trajectory, achieve very high speeds.



Further reading:




  • Why did Voyager 2's velocity drop far below escape velocity before
    the first gravity assist?

  • What is the fastest can we or have ever traveled in space?

  • Could the sun be used as a gravity assist outside the solar system (with current tech)?

  • Shortest time to place a probe further than Voyager 1?


For reference, compare the speed plots of Parker Solar Probe, showing its increasing peak speed with successive orbits, and Voyager 2, showing its decreasing speed as it moves away from the Sun:



enter image description hereImage credit: Phoenix7777, Wikimedia



enter image description here



Image credit: Cmglee, Wikimedia






share|improve this answer



















  • 1




    Thanks. It makes sense. They weren't designed to travel vast (interstellar) distances as quickly as possible - this is pity...
    – Zotyi
    1 hour ago















up vote
6
down vote



accepted










Physical



First and foremost, the physical reason is that objects accelerate as they approach massive bodies and decelerate as they recede:



Parker Solar Probe achieves its peak orbital speed (almost 200 km/s eventually) at its closest approaches to the Sun - as it falls inwards towards the Sun on each orbit it speeds up then slows down again on the way back out. At its aphelion, however, its speed drops to less than 20 km/s.



On the other hand the Voyagers, Pioneers and New Horizons are all moving away from the Sun. Since their final respective gravity assists, they have been gradually losing speed - note they will not come to a halt and fall back to the Sun though because they exceed escape velocity.



Practical



All of the deep space probes had primary missions to explore the outer planets in our Solar System. Because of this, your assumption that




Deep space probes should be the fastest ones, due to incredible distances they supposed to travel




isn't really correct. They weren't designed to travel vast (interstellar) distances as quickly as possible; they were designed to reach the outer planets intact and relay data back to Earth. Since completing this task, they have been essentially drifting off into deep space. They obviously are still transmitting very valuable data, but this is a secondary objective.



Parker Solar Probe, however, was designed to get as close to the Sun as possible (within technical limitations) and, as a result of its trajectory, achieve very high speeds.



Further reading:




  • Why did Voyager 2's velocity drop far below escape velocity before
    the first gravity assist?

  • What is the fastest can we or have ever traveled in space?

  • Could the sun be used as a gravity assist outside the solar system (with current tech)?

  • Shortest time to place a probe further than Voyager 1?


For reference, compare the speed plots of Parker Solar Probe, showing its increasing peak speed with successive orbits, and Voyager 2, showing its decreasing speed as it moves away from the Sun:



enter image description hereImage credit: Phoenix7777, Wikimedia



enter image description here



Image credit: Cmglee, Wikimedia






share|improve this answer



















  • 1




    Thanks. It makes sense. They weren't designed to travel vast (interstellar) distances as quickly as possible - this is pity...
    – Zotyi
    1 hour ago













up vote
6
down vote



accepted







up vote
6
down vote



accepted






Physical



First and foremost, the physical reason is that objects accelerate as they approach massive bodies and decelerate as they recede:



Parker Solar Probe achieves its peak orbital speed (almost 200 km/s eventually) at its closest approaches to the Sun - as it falls inwards towards the Sun on each orbit it speeds up then slows down again on the way back out. At its aphelion, however, its speed drops to less than 20 km/s.



On the other hand the Voyagers, Pioneers and New Horizons are all moving away from the Sun. Since their final respective gravity assists, they have been gradually losing speed - note they will not come to a halt and fall back to the Sun though because they exceed escape velocity.



Practical



All of the deep space probes had primary missions to explore the outer planets in our Solar System. Because of this, your assumption that




Deep space probes should be the fastest ones, due to incredible distances they supposed to travel




isn't really correct. They weren't designed to travel vast (interstellar) distances as quickly as possible; they were designed to reach the outer planets intact and relay data back to Earth. Since completing this task, they have been essentially drifting off into deep space. They obviously are still transmitting very valuable data, but this is a secondary objective.



Parker Solar Probe, however, was designed to get as close to the Sun as possible (within technical limitations) and, as a result of its trajectory, achieve very high speeds.



Further reading:




  • Why did Voyager 2's velocity drop far below escape velocity before
    the first gravity assist?

  • What is the fastest can we or have ever traveled in space?

  • Could the sun be used as a gravity assist outside the solar system (with current tech)?

  • Shortest time to place a probe further than Voyager 1?


For reference, compare the speed plots of Parker Solar Probe, showing its increasing peak speed with successive orbits, and Voyager 2, showing its decreasing speed as it moves away from the Sun:



enter image description hereImage credit: Phoenix7777, Wikimedia



enter image description here



Image credit: Cmglee, Wikimedia






share|improve this answer














Physical



First and foremost, the physical reason is that objects accelerate as they approach massive bodies and decelerate as they recede:



Parker Solar Probe achieves its peak orbital speed (almost 200 km/s eventually) at its closest approaches to the Sun - as it falls inwards towards the Sun on each orbit it speeds up then slows down again on the way back out. At its aphelion, however, its speed drops to less than 20 km/s.



On the other hand the Voyagers, Pioneers and New Horizons are all moving away from the Sun. Since their final respective gravity assists, they have been gradually losing speed - note they will not come to a halt and fall back to the Sun though because they exceed escape velocity.



Practical



All of the deep space probes had primary missions to explore the outer planets in our Solar System. Because of this, your assumption that




Deep space probes should be the fastest ones, due to incredible distances they supposed to travel




isn't really correct. They weren't designed to travel vast (interstellar) distances as quickly as possible; they were designed to reach the outer planets intact and relay data back to Earth. Since completing this task, they have been essentially drifting off into deep space. They obviously are still transmitting very valuable data, but this is a secondary objective.



Parker Solar Probe, however, was designed to get as close to the Sun as possible (within technical limitations) and, as a result of its trajectory, achieve very high speeds.



Further reading:




  • Why did Voyager 2's velocity drop far below escape velocity before
    the first gravity assist?

  • What is the fastest can we or have ever traveled in space?

  • Could the sun be used as a gravity assist outside the solar system (with current tech)?

  • Shortest time to place a probe further than Voyager 1?


For reference, compare the speed plots of Parker Solar Probe, showing its increasing peak speed with successive orbits, and Voyager 2, showing its decreasing speed as it moves away from the Sun:



enter image description hereImage credit: Phoenix7777, Wikimedia



enter image description here



Image credit: Cmglee, Wikimedia







share|improve this answer














share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer








edited 2 hours ago

























answered 2 hours ago









Jack

7,45513152




7,45513152








  • 1




    Thanks. It makes sense. They weren't designed to travel vast (interstellar) distances as quickly as possible - this is pity...
    – Zotyi
    1 hour ago














  • 1




    Thanks. It makes sense. They weren't designed to travel vast (interstellar) distances as quickly as possible - this is pity...
    – Zotyi
    1 hour ago








1




1




Thanks. It makes sense. They weren't designed to travel vast (interstellar) distances as quickly as possible - this is pity...
– Zotyi
1 hour ago




Thanks. It makes sense. They weren't designed to travel vast (interstellar) distances as quickly as possible - this is pity...
– Zotyi
1 hour ago










up vote
6
down vote













GravityWellFunnels



You have probably seen funnels like the above in shopping malls. Drop a coin in the funnel and it will move slowly at the edge and move faster as it nears the center.



This is a good model of a gravity well. Stuff moves a lot faster in the inner solar system.






share|improve this answer

















  • 1




    Thanks. Yes, it makes sense now.
    – Zotyi
    1 hour ago















up vote
6
down vote













GravityWellFunnels



You have probably seen funnels like the above in shopping malls. Drop a coin in the funnel and it will move slowly at the edge and move faster as it nears the center.



This is a good model of a gravity well. Stuff moves a lot faster in the inner solar system.






share|improve this answer

















  • 1




    Thanks. Yes, it makes sense now.
    – Zotyi
    1 hour ago













up vote
6
down vote










up vote
6
down vote









GravityWellFunnels



You have probably seen funnels like the above in shopping malls. Drop a coin in the funnel and it will move slowly at the edge and move faster as it nears the center.



This is a good model of a gravity well. Stuff moves a lot faster in the inner solar system.






share|improve this answer












GravityWellFunnels



You have probably seen funnels like the above in shopping malls. Drop a coin in the funnel and it will move slowly at the edge and move faster as it nears the center.



This is a good model of a gravity well. Stuff moves a lot faster in the inner solar system.







share|improve this answer












share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer










answered 1 hour ago









HopDavid

11.6k2560




11.6k2560








  • 1




    Thanks. Yes, it makes sense now.
    – Zotyi
    1 hour ago














  • 1




    Thanks. Yes, it makes sense now.
    – Zotyi
    1 hour ago








1




1




Thanks. Yes, it makes sense now.
– Zotyi
1 hour ago




Thanks. Yes, it makes sense now.
– Zotyi
1 hour ago


















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