Kaizenlog

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| Groundbreaking Solar Mission Faces Chilly Death                    |
|   from the hardly-knew-ye dept.                                    |
|   posted by timothy on Saturday June 14, @16:19 (NASA)             |
|   http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/06/14/201250 |
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iamlucky13 writes “Over 17 years ago, the [0]Ulysses spacecraft was
launched aboard the space shuttle Discovery for a unique NASA/ESA
mission. While nearly all other probes travel along our solar system’s
ecliptic plane, Ulysses used a Jupiter gravity assist to swing 80 degrees
out of plane, carrying it over the sun’s poles for an unprecedented view.
During a mission that lasted four times longer than planned, it has flown
through the tails of several comets, helped pinpoint distant gamma-ray
bursts, and provided data on the sun and its heliosphere from the better
part of two solar cycles. Unfortunately, the natural reduction of power
from its radioisotope thermal generator means it is now unable to even
keep its attitude control fuel from freezing, and NASA [1]has decided to
formally conclude the mission on July 1.”

Discuss this story at:
http://science.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=08/06/14/201250

Links:
0. http://ulysses.jpl.nasa.gov/
1. http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2008-106