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At least 451 records · Page 25

Will Galileo resolve the S-asteroid controversy?

The longest running argument in asteroid science concerns mineral composition and meteoritic association of the asteroids assigned to taxonomic type S. The approaching flyby of the S-type asteroid Gaspra by the Galileo spacecraft will drag an even larger section of the space science community into this argument. The basics of this problem are presented and discussed. The various proposed S asteroid compositions are presented and summarized in roughly the order in which they appeared.

Bell, Jeffrey F.↗

Galileo-related ground-based observations of the Jovian System

The scientific objectives are to make millimeter observations of SO2 and other neutral molecules in Io's atmosphere and to conduct a program of observational and interpretive studies of the Jovian system in connection with the Galileo mission.

Belton, Michael J. S.↗

Galileo early cruise, including Venus, first Earth, and Gaspra encounters

This article documents Deep Space Network (DSN) support for the Galileo cruise to Jupiter. The unique trajectory affords multiple encounters during this cruise phase. Each encounter had or will have unique requirements for data acquisition and DSN support configurations. An overview of the cruise and encounters through the asteroid Gaspra encounter is provided.

Beyer, P. E.↗

A multicomputer simulation of the Galileo spacecraft command and data subsystem

A detailed simulation of the command and data subsystem of the Galileo spacecraft on a distributed memory multicomputer is described. The simulation is based on an ensemble of Inmos Transputers for simulating, to the bit level, the execution of instruction sequences for the six RCA 1802 microcomputers and the intricate bus traffic between them and other components of the spacecraft. Expressions were developed to estimate the performance of the simulator on a distributed system given the processor clock speed, memory access time, and communication characteristics.

Zipse, John E.↗

The effect of nitric acid exposure on Galileo spacecraft titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V propellant tanks

The Ti-6Al-4V-constructed retropropulsion-module tanks of the Galileo spacecraft were purged with nitrogen tetroxide in order to wait out a major launch rescheduling; nitric acid is among the residual products of such an operation. A test program was conducted on representative samples to ascertain the fracture toughness and stress corrosion threshold of the tanks' material, in view of Space Shuttle safety and mission-reliability requirements. It was found that the tanks' structural integrity was not degraded by nitric acid exposure.

Hsieh, Cheng↗

Lunar impact basins and crustal heterogeneity - New western limb and far side data from Galileo

Multispectral images of the lunar western limb and far side obtained from Galileo reveal the compositional nature of several prominent lunar features and provide new information on lunar evolution. The data reveal that the ejecta from the Orientale impact basin (900 kilometers in diameter) lying outside the Cordillera Mountains was excavated from the crust, not the mantle, and covers pre-Orientale terrain that consisted of both highland materials and relatively large expanses of ancient mare basalts. The inside of the far side South Pole-Aitken basin (greater than 2000 kilometers in diameter) has low albedo, red color, and a relatively high abundance of iron- and magnesium-rich materials. These features suggest that the impact may have penetrated into the deep crust or lunar mantle or that the basin contains ancient mare basalts that were later covered by highlands ejecta.

Belton, Michael J. S.↗

Some observations on spin detector response during Galileo high gain antenna deployment

This paper summarizes a dynamic analysis conducted in support of the investigation of the anomalous deployment of the Galileo High Gain Antenna on April 11, 1991. The work was focused on modeling the spacecraft spin dynamics to predict and compare the spin detector telemetry during the antenna deployment for possible cause scenarios. The effects of analog and digital low-pass filtering, digitization, and telemetry on the reported spin rate were studied as well. The high frequency phenomena in the spin detector response are masked by the filtering and sampling of the telemetry data. However, the observed spin detector telemetery is consistent with a single rib popping free, and is most likely associated with a rib near the spin detector, or 180 deg opposite.

Peng, Chia-Yen↗

Galileo spacecraft autonomous attitude determination using a V-slit star scanner

The autonomous attitude determination system of Galileo spacecraft, consisting of a radiation hardened star scanner and a processing algorithm is presented. The algorithm applying to this system are the sequential star identification and attitude estimation. The star scanner model is reviewed in detail and the flight software parameters that must be updated frequently during flight, due to degradation of the scanner response and the star background change are identified.

Mobasser, Sohrab↗

Galileo orbit determination for the Venus and Earth-1 flybys

This paper presents the orbit determination strategy and results in navigating the Galileo spacecraft from launch through its Venus and first earth flybys. Many nongravitational effects were estimated, including solar radiation pressure, small velocity impulses from attitude changes and eight trajectory correction maneuvers. Tracking data consisted of S-Band Doppler and range. The fitting of Doppler was difficult since one of the cpacecraft's two antennas was offset from the spin axis, thus producing the sinusoidal velocity fluctuation seen in the data. Finally, Delta Differential One-way Range data was used during the last three months of the earth approach to help deliver the spacecraft to within desired accuracy.

Kallemeyn, P. H.↗

Galileo Probe Mass Spectrometer experiment

The chemical and isotopic composition of the Jupiter atmosphere's constituents, including their vertical variations, will be measured by the Galileo Probe Mass Spectrometer instrument through in situ sampling; batch sampling will also be undertaken for noble gas composition and isotopic ratio determinations. The instrument's gas-sampling system is connected to a quadrupole mass analyzer for molecular weight analysis. Threshold values are lowered through sample enrichment by a factor of 100-500 for stable hydrocarbons and by a factor of 10 for noble gases. The instrument follows a sampling sequence of 8192 steps, at a rate of 2 steps/sec.

Niemann, H. B.↗

Galileo Net Flux Radiometer experiment

The Galileo Net Flux Radiometer (NFR) is a probe instrument designed to measure the vertical profile of upward and net radiation fluxes in five spectral bands spanning the range from solar to far infrared wavelengths. These unique measurements within Jupiter's atmosphere, from which radiative heating and cooling profiles will be derived, will contribute to our understanding of Jovian atmospheric dynamics, to the detection of cloud layers and determination of their opacities, and to the estimation of water vapor abundance. The NFR uses an array of pyroelectric detectors and individual bandpass filters in a sealed detector package. The detector package and optics rotate as a unit to provide chopping between views of upward and downward radiation fluxes. This arrangement makes possible the measurement of small net fluxes in the presence of large ambient fluxes. A microprocessor-controlled electronics package handles instrument operation.

Sromovsky, L. A.↗

The plasma instrumentation for the Galileo Mission

The Galileo Mission's plasma instrumentation package encompasses a nested set of four spherical-plate electrostatic analyzers and three miniature magnetic mass spectrometers which identify the composition of the positive ion plasmas; the spectrometers' energy range is species-dependent. Two instrument microprocessors allow in-flight implementation of operational modes by ground command that are tailored for such specific regimes as the magnetosheath and the plasma sheet of the environs of Jupiter. Observational objectives include field-aligned currents, 3D ion bulk flows, Galilean satellite pickup ions, and the spatial distributions of plasmas.

Frank, L. A.↗

The Galileo heavy element monitor

The Heavy Ion Counter on the Galileo spacecraft will monitor energetic heavy nuclei of the elements from C to Ni, with energies from about 6 to about 200 MeV/nucl. The instrument will provide measurements of trapped heavy ions in the Jovian magnetosphere, including those high-energy heavy ions with the potential for affecting the operation of the spacecraft electronic circuitry. The instrument, which is a modified version of the Voyager CRS instrument, is described.

Garrard, T. L.↗

The Galileo Dust Detector

The Galileo Dust Detector is intended to provide direct observations of dust grains with masses between 10 exp -19 and 10 exp -9 kg in interplanetary space and in the Jovian system, to investigate their physical and dynamical properties as functions of the distances to the sun, to Jupiter and to its satellites, and to study its interaction with the Galilean satellites and the Jovian magnetosphere. The investigation is performed with an instrument that measures the mass, speed, flight direction and electric charge of individual dust particles. It is a multicoincidence detector with a mass sensitivity 1 000 000 times higher than that of previous in situ experiments which measured dust in the outer solar system. The instrument weighs 4.2 kg, consumes 2.4 W, and has a normal data transmission rate of 24 bits/s in nominal spacecraft tracking mode. On December 29, 1989 the instrument was switched-on. After the instrument had been configured to flight conditions cruise science data collection started immediately. In the period to May 18, 1990 at least 168 dust impacts have been recorded. For 81 of these dust grains masses and impact speeds have been determined. First flux values are given.

Gruen, Eberhard↗

The Galileo plasma wave investigation

The purpose of the Galileo plasma wave investigation is to study plasma waves and radio emissions in the magnetosphere of Jupiter. The plasma wave instrument uses an electric dipole antenna to detect electric fields, and two search coil magnetic antennas to detect magnetic fields. The frequency range covered is 5 Hz to 5.6 MHz for electric fields and 5 Hz to 160 kHz for magnetic fields. Low time-resolution survey spectrums are provided by three on-board spectrum analyzers. In the normal mode of operation the frequency resolution is about 10 percent, and the time resolution for a complete set of electric and magnetic field measurements is 37.33 s. High time-resolution spectrums are provided by a wideband receiver. The wideband receiver provides waveform measurements over bandwidths of 1, 10, and 80 kHz. Compared to previous measurements at Jupiter this instrument has several new capabilities. These new capabilities include (1) both electric and magnetic field measurements to distinguish electrostatic and electromagnetic waves, (2) direction finding measurements to determine source locations, and (3) increased bandwidth for the wideband measurements.

Gurnett, D. A.↗

The Galileo Energetic Particles Detector

Amongst its complement of particles and fields instruments, the Galileo spacecraft carries an Energetic Particles Detector (EPD) designed to measure the characteristics of particle populations important in determining the size, shape, and dynamics of the Jovian magnetosphere. To do this the EPD provides 4pi angular coverage and spectral measurements for Z greater than or equal to 1 ions from 20 keV to 55 MeV, for electrons from 15 keV to greater than 11 MeV, and for the elemental species helium through iron from approximately 10 keV/nucl to 15 MeV/nucl. Two bidirectional telescopes, mounted on a stepping platform, employ magnetic deflection, energy loss versus energy, and time-of-flight techniques to provide 64 rate channels and pulse height analysis of priority selected events. The EPD data system provides a large number of possible operational modes from which a small number will be selected to optimize data collection during the many encounter and cruise phases of the mission. The EPD employs a number of safeing algorithms that are to be used in the event that its self-checking procedures indicate a problem. The instrument and its operation are described.

Williams, D. J.↗

The Galileo Solid-State Imaging experiment

The Galileo Orbiter's Solid-State Imaging (SSI) experiment uses a 1.5-m focal length TV camera with 800 x 800 pixel, virtual-phase CCD detector in order to obtain images of Jupiter and its satellites which possess a combination of sensitivity levels, spatial resolutions, geometric fidelity, and spectral range that are unmatched by earlier imaging data. After describing the performance of this equipment on the basis of ground calibrations, attention is given to the SSI experiment's Jupiter system observation objectives; these encompass atmospheric science, satellite surfaces, ring structure, and 'darkside' experiments.

Belton, Michael J. S.↗

Near-Infrared Mapping Spectrometer experiment on Galileo

The Galileo Mission's Near-Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS) combines imaging and spectroscopic methods to map morphological features, ascertain their chemical composition and mineralogy, investigate surface-geology evolution, and measure the parameters of transient atmospheric phenomena. NIMS will investigate Jupiter and the Galilean satellites during a two-year orbital operation period, beginning in December, 1995. En route, NIMS will have obtained data for Venus, the earth/moon system, and two asteroids. NIMS covers the 0.7-5.2 micron spectral range, thereby encompassing the reflected-sunlight and thermal-radiation regimes for numerous solar system objects.

Carlson, R. W.↗