Pioneer's Final Riddle
Abstract
Description
Launched more than thirty years ago and now drifting in space with no further contact, the Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecraft are currently at the center of a small but developing concern: are they under the influence of an anomalous acceleration that reflects new, yet unknown physics, or merely experiencing some unexpected technical problem ? The proposals vary from basic engineering principles to extra spatial dimensions, but most probably an answer can only be obtained after a dedicated mission is underway.
Talk presented by O.B. at the XIV Encontro Nacional de Astronomia e Astrof\'ısica, Angra do Hero\'ısmo, Açores, 22-23 July 2004. 9 pp. 3 figs
Talk presented by O.B. at the XIV Encontro Nacional de Astronomia e Astrof\'ısica, Angra do Hero\'ısmo, Açores, 22-23 July 2004. 9 pp. 3 figs