archive-1: SETI [ASTRO] Galileo - Countdown To Europa
SETI [ASTRO] Galileo - Countdown To Europa
Larry Klaes ( lklaes@bbn.com )
Mon, 25 Jan 1999 17:59:54 -0500
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>Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 16:35:58 GMT
>From: Ron Baalke <BAALKE@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov>
>To: astro@lists.mindspring.com
>Subject: [ASTRO] Galileo - Countdown To Europa
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>Reply-To: Ron Baalke <BAALKE@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov>
>
>GALILEO - COUNTDOWN TO EUROPA
>January 25, 1999
>
>It is now 6 days and 9 hours to the Galileo spacecraft's next encounter
>with Europa.
>
>A special Countdown to Europa home page is available on the Galileo
>Home Page:
>
>http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/countdown/
>
>Launched in October 1989, Galileo entered orbit around Jupiter in December
>1995, and completed its primary 2 year orbital tour around the solar
system's
>largest planet. Galileo has since embarked on a two-year extended mission,
>called Galileo Europa Mission (GEM). During GEM, Galileo will make 8 close
>flybys of Europa, four flybys of Callisto, and two close encounters with Io
>provided the spacecraft is still alive.
>
>The eighth encounter for GEM is scheduled for Europa on February 1, 1999, at
>02:10 UT. Referred to as Europa 19, since this will occur on the 19th orbit
>since Galileo entered orbit around Jupiter, this encounter will be Galileo's
>last close flyby of Europa. With a diameter of 3,138 km, Europa is slighty
>smaller than our own Moon and is the smoothest known object in the solar
>system. On Galileo's previous encounters with Europa, evidence of a
possible
>ocean were discovered, including the discovery of ice volcanoes (none
active),
>probable icebergs, and salt deposits on the surface. Galileo will continue
>its search to find additional evidence of a liquid ocean underneath Europa's
>icy crust and look for signs of active volcanism on the moon's young surface.
>On the upcoming encounter, the spacecraft will pass by Europa at a distance
>of about 1,500 km, which is over 137 times closer than Voyager's closest
>approach. Galileo will also take in observations of Jupiter during
>the encounter.
>
>Highlights of the Countdown to Europa home page:
>
>o A virtual flyby of Europa with computer-generated approach images of
> Jupiter and Europa displayed at the top of the home page. These images
> are all updated every 5 minutes in sync with the actual flyby by the
> spacecraft.
>o Simulated animation of the Europa 19 flyby.
>o Daily Galileo status reports reporting on the Europa 19 encounter.
>o Fact sheets and Europa, Callisto and Io.
>o A detailed timeline of events and sequences that the spacecraft will
> perform for the Europa 19 encounter.
>o Voyager 1 & 2 images of Callisto, Ganymede, Europa and Io.
>o Hubble Space Telescope images of the Galilean satellites.
>o Pioneer 10 & 11 images of Callisto, Ganymede, Europa and Io.
>
>Ron Baalke
>baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov
>Galileo Webmaster
>