fisher@dvinci.DEC (02/27/85)
<Is this bug still around?> Apologies if this information has already shown up in net.space, but I don't remember seeing it. It seems that fairly recently, as space project timelines go, someone at JPL discovered that the Galileo Jupiter probe would be passing fairly close to an asteroid called Amphitrite on its way to Jupiter. Since no spacecraft from earth has ever investigated of any asteroid, JPL and the Planetary Society started lobbying with NASA to have Galileo diverted slightly to fly close enough to Amphitrite to get some useful data about it from the spacecraft instruments. Until yesterday, the latest I heard was that it was being considered, but chances were only moderate, since it required a lot of changes in the mission plan, and since it would delay Galileo's arrival at Jupiter by some weeks (months?). Yesterday, I read in THE PLANETARY REPORT that NASA has approved the diversion. I say three cheers and congratulations to NASA for being so aggressive. Taking calculated risks is what exploration is all about, and I am glad to see that NASA is still in the exploration business! BTW, does anyone know how to pronounce Amphitrite (3 syllables or 4?) Burns UUCP: ... {decvax|allegra|ucbvax}!decwrl!rhea!dvinci!fisher ARPA: decwrl!rhea!dvinci!fisher@{Berkeley | SU-Shasta}