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Journey's End: Galileo Set for Fiery Finale (Link to Webcast, set for today)
Space.com ^ | 16 September 2003 | Tariq Malik

Posted on 09/21/2003 6:32:11 AM PDT by TomB

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WARMONGER BUSH BOMBS INNOCENT PLANET!!!

WILL THIS LEAD TO INTERGALACTIC WAR???

DASCHLE "DEEPLY SADDENED".

Watch the end of civilization, planned for sometime this afternoon, here.

1 posted on 09/21/2003 6:32:11 AM PDT by TomB
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To: RadioAstronomer; longshadow; discostu; aruanan
end of the world ping
2 posted on 09/21/2003 6:34:57 AM PDT by TomB
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To: TomB
Does it still work? I am assuming so, because they say they will be recording data for as long as it survives.

Who authorized these idjits to destroy a multimillion dollar space probe?
3 posted on 09/21/2003 6:37:53 AM PDT by djf
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To: djf
Who authorized these idjits to destroy a multimillion dollar space probe?

The guys who built it, that's who.

The probe is past it's useful life, and it is nearly out of manuvering propellant. So, in order to protect Europa, which has an outside chance of life, from contamination, they are purposely crashing it into Jupiter.

4 posted on 09/21/2003 6:47:48 AM PDT by TomB
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To: TomB
They may have built it.

But they don't own it.
5 posted on 09/21/2003 6:51:05 AM PDT by djf
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To: djf; TomB
The spacecraft is aging. We dropped the Magellan spacecraft into the Venusian atmosphere is such a configuration we were able to extract data for aerobraking studies.
6 posted on 09/21/2003 6:53:23 AM PDT by RadioAstronomer
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To: djf
But they don't own it.

What? Are you upset they didn't contact you and get your opinion? The probe is almost dead, the journey is over.

7 posted on 09/21/2003 6:53:59 AM PDT by TomB
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To: TomB
WARMONGER BUSH BOMBS INNOCENT PLANET!!!

It's global warming of Jupiter that's causing this tragedy. Those comets never would have hit it a few years back had Galileo not added to it's gravitational pull.


8 posted on 09/21/2003 6:54:20 AM PDT by putupon (I'll put a Cross for the Constitution beside the Highway of History, if the Courts will let it stay.)
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To: TomB
It's amazing how vast our solar system is and yet how microscopically tiny our solar system is in the context of our Milky Way galaxy. And then our galaxy is but a speck in our constellation. And so on.


9 posted on 09/21/2003 6:54:56 AM PDT by SamAdams76 (214.2 (-85.8) Earning back my youth one mile at a time)
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To: RadioAstronomer
Heck, I'm just saying leave it in an innocuous orbit, then, six months from now when something unusual is happening out there, we got some eyes. You know how that always works, that the surest way to find out you need something is to throw it away and wait a week.
10 posted on 09/21/2003 6:57:10 AM PDT by djf
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To: djf
Heck, I'm just saying leave it in an innocuous orbit, then, six months from now when something unusual is happening out there, we got some eyes. You know how that always works, that the surest way to find out you need something is to throw it away and wait a week.

If you would have read my post you would have seen that since they can't maneuver the probe, there was a chance it could crash into Europa, and they don't want to contaminate that moon.

Anyway, most of the electronics are fried from the radiation anyway, it's at the end of its life. If "something unusual happens" six months from now, it won't be able to do anything anyway.

11 posted on 09/21/2003 7:01:00 AM PDT by TomB
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To: djf
Doesn't work that way with spacecraft. This is not unlike what we do with Geosynch spacecraft. We supersynch (move to a non useful higher orbit) while they are still operable enough to be maneuvered.

How do you think I felt when Magellan took the plunge. I worked on that spacecraft and helped to fly it from JPL. However, I knew that the plunge needed to take place. This protects Europa. IMHO, it is the correct path to take.

12 posted on 09/21/2003 7:03:05 AM PDT by RadioAstronomer
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To: RadioAstronomer
How do you think I felt when Magellan took the plunge. I worked on that spacecraft and helped to fly it from JPL. However, I knew that the plunge needed to take place. This protects Europa. IMHO, it is the correct path to take.

(cue violin music........) ;-)

So what are you working on now Michael?

BTW, good to "see" you again.

13 posted on 09/21/2003 7:08:10 AM PDT by TomB
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To: RadioAstronomer
If the instrumentation is fried, that is certainly a consideration. But I don't see anything here that says it's unmanouverable. I can't even keep spiders out of my house, I'm not all that concerned about the ecosystem of Europa.

How many times have we seen the robotic probe versus manned flight debate? You know what I mean.
14 posted on 09/21/2003 7:10:54 AM PDT by djf
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To: TomB
USAF Space Command stuff now. Glad to see you as well. :-)
15 posted on 09/21/2003 7:15:19 AM PDT by RadioAstronomer
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To: djf
How many times have we seen the robotic probe versus manned flight debate? You know what I mean.

I think both are important. Each has its own strengths. :-)

16 posted on 09/21/2003 7:17:17 AM PDT by RadioAstronomer
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To: djf
But I don't see anything here that says it's unmanouverable

THAT'S THE POINT! It still has a bit of fuel left, so they will guide it while they still can.

I can't even keep spiders out of my house, I'm not all that concerned about the ecosystem of Europa.

Which explains very well why they didn't ask your opinion.

17 posted on 09/21/2003 7:22:19 AM PDT by TomB
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To: RadioAstronomer
USAF Space Command stuff now. Glad to see you as well. :-)

OOOOH! Black helicopter stuff. Excellent!

I'll be sure to ping you to all the wing-nut tin-foil threads as a representative of the "gubmint".

18 posted on 09/21/2003 7:24:04 AM PDT by TomB
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To: TomB
LOL! Thats all I need! ROFL!
19 posted on 09/21/2003 7:28:07 AM PDT by RadioAstronomer
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To: djf
I assume your post was a bit in jest.

many reasons why they would "destroy it"

First, you are aware that this spacecraft worked about 10 years past its expected life? Amazing example of American science and ingenuity at its best.

Second, as other no doubt have written, they (who are these they, anyway), while the probe still has a bit of manueverablility and life left, want to send it into Jupiter rather than have it crash on a Jovian moon. I admit, I don't see the problem with that, but. . . .

Third, we don't want the Klingons to get it.
20 posted on 09/21/2003 7:28:21 AM PDT by fqued
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