On This Day December 12, 1967: Pioneer 8 mission launched to study the Sun

Science: On December 12, 1967, NASA launched the Pioneer 8 spacecraft to study the sun. Pioneer 8 was the third in a series of solar-orbiting satellites that NASA launched to observe things like the solar wind, the sun’s magnetic field, and cosmic rays, or high-energy particles from outside the solar system. The Pioneer missions provided the world’s first network of satellites that could monitor space weather and solar storms, which can produce stunning auroras on Earth but also cause some problems.

Space weather events can disrupt satellite communications systems on Earth and even damage power grids. Still not enough space? Don’t forget to check out our Space Image of the Day and our best space photos and top space news stories of the week over the weekend.