From: schillin@spock.usc.edu   
      
   DP  writes:   
      
   > Ron Baalke wrote:   
      
   > > RELEASE: 03-297   
   > > GALILEO TO TASTE JUPITER BEFORE TAKING FINAL PLUNGE   
   > >      In the end, the Galileo spacecraft will get a taste of Jupiter   
   > > before taking a final plunge into the planet's crushing atmosphere,   
   > > ending the mission on Sunday, Sept. 21.   
      
   > > The spacecraft has been purposely put on a collision course with Jupiter   
   > > to eliminate any chance of an unwanted impact between the spacecraft and   
   > > Jupiter's moon Europa, which Galileo discovered is likely to have a   
   > > subsurface ocean.   
      
   > At some heights in the Jupiter atmosphere the physical   
   > conditions might be suitable to sustain life.   
   > Since temperature increases inward, at some level it must   
   > traverse the 0-100 C interval in layers where water and organic   
   > molecules must be present, and well shielded from cosmic rays.   
      
   > Apparently NASA seems to be sure enough that either no life   
   > can exist within Jupiter, or that Galileo will be completely   
   > sterilized before entering such "comfortable" atmospheric layers.   
      
      
   The important thing is, NASA seems to be sure enough that the spacecraft   
   will surely be destroyed and, if little bits of anything survive, they   
   won't be sending back radio signals.   
      
   Most of NASA's planetary missions since Voyager have ended when someone   
   found an Absolutely Compelling Scientific Reason why the spacecraft   
   should be deliberately crashed into the nearest large object.  This is   
   probably because the Pioneer and Voyager missions ended by seeing NASA   
   spend many megabucks over many years maintaining ground teams and   
   facilities to pick up a steadily declining trickle of bits, only to   
   face boos and catcalls when they eventually zeroed the budget and pulled   
   the plug on the Plucky Little Spacecraft What Was Still Bravely Exploring   
   The Cosmos.   
      
   Which isn't to say that there aren't people who are seriously concerned   
   about the contamination issue and seriously certain that a Jovian entry   
   event will thoroughly sterilize the craft.  But I am skeptical that this   
   is the dominant motive behind the move.   
      
      
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