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From: kwan@smeagol.UUCP (Richard Kwan)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: Project Galileo Update (2/12/86, 4:30PM PST)
Message-ID: <599@smeagol.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 12-Feb-86 23:43:06 EST
Article-I.D.: smeagol.599
Posted: Wed Feb 12 23:43:06 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 16-Feb-86 04:19:30 EST
References: <598@smeagol.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: Spacecraft Data Systems, JPL, Pasadena, CA
Lines: 34

Some notes on Greg Earle's Galileo Update <598@smeagol.UUCP>:

>  - It was predicted that if the spacecraft had been onboard Challenger, that
>    there would NOT have been a serious radioactive materials leak.
That is the "prevailing expert opinion."  JPL would like to do
supporting analysis on that.  However, the data from the shuttle
accident is not yet easily attainable.  Such an analysis is certainly
not in the mainstream of the current investigation and might, in fact,
impede progress.  So we will have to wait.

>  - There were plans for Galileo to rendevous with an Asteroid on the way out;
>    obviously this has been scrapped, although there is talk about finding
>    a possible replacement asteroid that would be reachable considering the
>    time of the next launch window.
Up to this time, the Lab has been proceeding on the 1986 launch plan,
although knowing that a change in direction was imminent.  (We were
anticipating, but had not yet received the official directive to scrap
the 1986 mission, and shoot for 1987.  That came today.) Thus, no 1987
mission trajectories have been plotted yet.  As they are plotted, we
will undoubtedly see if there are other candidate asteroids available.
    The tragedy of the 1986 mission is that the target asteroid
was a fairly large one, whose name I can't remember or pronounce.

> Disclaimer Disclaimer: This should be considered an Official NASA/JPL
> statement on this matter, 'cause that's what they told us ...
Disclaimer Disclaimer Disclaimer:  the information was intended to give
new marching orders to us at JPL, and is thus considered highly
reliable, but I haven't the foggiest what they would want to say in a
press release.  But yes, "that's what they told us ..."

	Rick Kwan
	JPL Spacecraft Data Systems group

P.S.  Go easy on me, Greg... :@)