Question

This planetary orbiter visited all the Jovian planets in the 1970s and 1980s.

a. Messenger

b. Mariner 10

c. Voyager 2

d. Pioneer 11

e. None of the above

Answer 1

The planetary orbiter that visited all Jovian planets in the 1970s and 1980s was Voyager 2, successfully completing the 'Grand Tour' of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Step-by-step explanation:

The planetary orbiter that visited all the Jovian planets in the 1970s and 1980s was Voyager 2. It embarked on an ambitious journey known as the "Grand Tour," which took advantage of a rare alignment of the planets. After launching in 1977, Voyager 2 arrived at Jupiter in 1979, Saturn in 1981, Uranus in 1986, and Neptune in 1989. This trajectory allowed Voyager 2 to utilize gravity assists from each planet to propel it to the next, making it the only spacecraft to have visited all four outer planets.