Why Voyager/Pioneer is so slow compared to Parker Solar Probe
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?
voyager pioneer parker-solar-probe speed
add a comment |
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?
voyager pioneer parker-solar-probe speed
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
add a comment |
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?
voyager pioneer parker-solar-probe speed
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
voyager pioneer parker-solar-probe speed
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
add a comment |
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
add a comment |
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:
Image credit: Phoenix7777, Wikimedia
Image credit: Cmglee, Wikimedia
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
add a comment |
up vote
6
down vote
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.
1
Thanks. Yes, it makes sense now.
– Zotyi
1 hour ago
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ifUsing("editor", function () {
return StackExchange.using("mathjaxEditing", function () {
StackExchange.MarkdownEditor.creationCallbacks.add(function (editor, postfix) {
StackExchange.mathjaxEditing.prepareWmdForMathJax(editor, postfix, [["$", "$"], ["\\(","\\)"]]);
});
});
}, "mathjax-editing");
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "508"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fspace.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f32822%2fwhy-voyager-pioneer-is-so-slow-compared-to-parker-solar-probe%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
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:
Image credit: Phoenix7777, Wikimedia
Image credit: Cmglee, Wikimedia
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
add a comment |
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:
Image credit: Phoenix7777, Wikimedia
Image credit: Cmglee, Wikimedia
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
add a comment |
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:
Image credit: Phoenix7777, Wikimedia
Image credit: Cmglee, Wikimedia
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:
Image credit: Phoenix7777, Wikimedia
Image credit: Cmglee, Wikimedia
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
add a comment |
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
add a comment |
up vote
6
down vote
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.
1
Thanks. Yes, it makes sense now.
– Zotyi
1 hour ago
add a comment |
up vote
6
down vote
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.
1
Thanks. Yes, it makes sense now.
– Zotyi
1 hour ago
add a comment |
up vote
6
down vote
up vote
6
down vote
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.
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.
answered 1 hour ago
HopDavid
11.6k2560
11.6k2560
1
Thanks. Yes, it makes sense now.
– Zotyi
1 hour ago
add a comment |
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
add a comment |
Thanks for contributing an answer to Space Exploration Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
Use MathJax to format equations. MathJax reference.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Some of your past answers have not been well-received, and you're in danger of being blocked from answering.
Please pay close attention to the following guidance:
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fspace.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f32822%2fwhy-voyager-pioneer-is-so-slow-compared-to-parker-solar-probe%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
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