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From: baalke@mars.jpl.nasa.gov (Ron Baalke)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Need info on Venus probe
Message-ID: <1982@jato.Jpl.Nasa.Gov>
Date: 24 Oct 89 16:45:48 GMT
References: <9271@merrimack.edu>
Sender: news@jato.Jpl.Nasa.Gov
Reply-To: baalke@mars.UUCP (Ron Baalke)
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA.
Lines: 27

In article <9271@merrimack.edu> NCS12503@merrimack.edu writes:
>
>Can anyone tell me about the space probe that went to map the surface of Venus? 
>I believe the name of the probe was Magellan, but I can not confirm this.  It
>was launched about a year ago from a space shuttle.  Any advice you can give
>will be greatly appreciated, as I am trying to do a report for my astronomy
>class of probes of the '80s.
>

Magellan was launched last May from the Space Shuttle. Its main objectives
is to collect geological data of Venus including surface morphology, density
distribution and the interior dynamics of the planet and small-scale surface
characteristics. Magellan will arrive at Venus in August 1990 (sidenote:
Galileo will get to Venus in February before Magellan) and radar map the
planet for 243 days. Magellan is equipped with an altimeter and radiometer,
a high-gain and low-gain attenna and a star scanner. The global imaging has
a resolution of 820 feet and a vertical accuracy of 98 feet on the global
topography.

For more details, contact the Public Information Office at JPL



             Ron Baalke                        (818) 541-2341 ext 260
             Jet Propulsion Lab  M/S 301-355
             4800 Oak Grove Dr.
             Pasadena, CA 91109