Galileo Swoops Flies Past Europa; Galileo Project to be Extended

[03 Jan 2000] Galileo flew past Europa at a distance of 351 km (218 mi) today at 10:38 AM PST. According to NASA JPL: “The spacecraft is operating normally, and it appears that its instruments have completed their observations of the magnetic fields and charged particles around Europa.” Observations of Amalthea, Thebe, and Metis will be performed by Galileo this evening. Observations of Io will be performed on the morning of 4 January.

Meanwhile, According to NASA JPL: “NASA Headquarters has agreed in principle to extend the Galileo mission past its planned January 31 finale. Details of funding and itinerary for the new extended mission, to be called the Galileo Millennium Mission, must still be resolved.” In addition to additional flybys of Io and Ganymede, this new mission would include joint observations of Jupiter by both Galileo and Cassini in December 2000 as Cassini passes through the jovian system to perform a gravitational assist maneuver by Jupiter.

° Galileo Status Report , NASA JPL

° Galileo Mission Extended, NASA JPL

° Galileo Website, NASA JPL

° Cassini Website, NASA JPL