Pioneer Venus launches the first microprocessor into space

8th August 1978
Pioneer Venus launches the first microprocessor into space

Pioneer Venus Multiprobe, also known as Pioneer Venus 2, launched from Earth on the 8th August 1978, and entered the Venus atmosphere on 9th December 1978. It contained an Intel 4004 microprocessor which was used to operate a mass spectrometer, for measuring the atmospheric composition.

This Intel 4004 was the first microprocessor in space.

Related information:

Acknowledgement:

  • Thanks to William Donnelly for updating our previous details.

Image:

  • Pioneer Venus Multiprobe infographic.
    Credit: NASA/Glenn Research Center, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons


 

 

 


 

Pioneer Venus launches the first microprocessor into space

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