A HUGHES-BUILT, INSTRUMENTED capsule was deployed from NASA's Jupiter-bound Galileo spacecraft on 12 July, en route for a 170,000 km/s encounter with the giant planet's atmosphere on 7 December (Flight International, 28 June-4 July). During the 75min plunge, the 338kg capsule will return data from the bowels of Jupiter before being destroyed by heat and pressure. The Galileo mother ship is scheduled to fire its engine on 27 July, setting it on course to become the first Jupiter orbiter on 7 December.
Source: Flight International
