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Germophobic NASA to smash Galileo probe into Jupiter for fear of contaminating moon
Associated Press ^
| 09-14-03
Posted on 09/14/2003 10:42:50 AM PDT by Brian S
Edited on 04/13/2004 2:43:46 AM PDT by Jim Robinson.
[history]
NASA plans to crash its $1.5 billion Galileo spacecraft into Jupiter next weekend to make sure it doesn't accidentally contaminate the red planet's ice-covered moon Europa with bacteria from Earth.
After Galileo's orbit carries it behind Jupiter at 12:49 p.m. PDT Sunday, the aging probe will plunge into the planet's stormy atmosphere at a speed of nearly 108,000 mph.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
TOPICS: Front Page News; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: galileo; jupiter; microbes; nasa
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1
posted on
09/14/2003 10:42:51 AM PDT
by
Brian S
To: Brian S
"the red planet's" This guy is a science writer? The red planet is Mars not Jupiter ya dufus.
2
posted on
09/14/2003 10:47:13 AM PDT
by
Klickitat
To: Klickitat
Yeah, that sentence threw me off, too. Huh?
Some FReeper turned me on to Celestia, a cool, free real-time space simulation that lets you experience our universe in three dimensions. You can travel throughout the solar system, to any of over 100,000 stars, or even beyond the galaxy. Check it out!
3
posted on
09/14/2003 10:55:05 AM PDT
by
martin_fierro
(A v v n c v l v s M a x i m v s)
To: Brian S
...
and any microbes that may have been stowaways on the spacecraft since its 1989 launch.
Like who///BRONSON PINCHOT?
4
posted on
09/14/2003 11:01:18 AM PDT
by
jaz.357
(Homeland security MUST shut down PETA for funding the domestic terrorist organization ELF!)
To: Klickitat
Ok, here's my question, and if it reveals ignorance, I cop to the charge. How could any bacteria stay alive in space for such a long time?
You know, they say there is no such thing as a stupid question.
5
posted on
09/14/2003 11:02:44 AM PDT
by
jocon307
(Support Vouchers! Break the Unions! Save the Children!)
To: Brian S
What a bunch of idiots ... they should plow that thing into Europa and get a start on terrforming it.
6
posted on
09/14/2003 11:03:24 AM PDT
by
Centurion2000
(Islam : totalitarian political ideology / meme cloaked under the cover of religion)
To: Brian S
Carol Mosley Braun wants to know if they can find the flag the Astronauts left up there?
7
posted on
09/14/2003 11:09:21 AM PDT
by
jaz.357
(Homeland security MUST shut down PETA for funding the domestic terrorist organization ELF!)
To: jocon307
You know, they say there is no such thing as a stupid question.As South Park's Mr. Garrison says, "There are no stupid questions...only stupid people." :o)
To: jocon307
9
posted on
09/14/2003 11:14:38 AM PDT
by
BMCDA
(Deja Moo - the feeling that you've heard this bullshit before.)
To: eddie willers
Did he say that? I thought he said: "There are no stupid questions, only a lot of inquisitive idiots." ;^D
10
posted on
09/14/2003 11:17:34 AM PDT
by
BMCDA
(Deja Moo - the feeling that you've heard this bullshit before.)
To: Centurion2000
What a bunch of idiots ... they should plow that thing into Europa and get a start on terrforming it. It makes sense actually.
Someday we will send a probe to Europa. If we find a bunch of earthlike bacteria we would like to know that it is indigenous and not always wonder whether or not it was just something we accidentally planted there.
The bigger concern is going to be when we start bringing back samples from Mars and Europa. We will need to have a viable space station to bring the samples to in order to prevent accidentally planting something here.
To: Brian S
So it's better to contaminate Jupiter. Nice thinking.
12
posted on
09/14/2003 11:21:24 AM PDT
by
RightWhale
(Repeal the Law of the Excluded Middle)
To: RightWhale
So it's better to contaminate Jupiter. Ayup ;)
13
posted on
09/14/2003 11:24:19 AM PDT
by
BMCDA
(Deja Moo - the feeling that you've heard this bullshit before.)
To: RightWhale
At least they didn't decide to contaminate Uranus. :^D
14
posted on
09/14/2003 11:30:20 AM PDT
by
Imal
(The World According to Imal: http://imal.blogspot.com)
To: RightWhale
No, it's better to have the craft burn up in Jupiter's atmosphere. Something that would not happen if the probe were directed to one of the moons
15
posted on
09/14/2003 11:32:17 AM PDT
by
Blackyce
(President Jacques Chirac: "As far as I'm concerned, war always means failure.")
Comment #16 Removed by Moderator
To: Blackyce
Plus the chances that (1) Jupiter has life, (2) we will ever be able to go to Jupiter and find out, or (3) earth bacteria could survive and reproduce on Jupiter, are all extremely remote. Jupiter is basically a big ball of gas that was too small to ignite as a star.
Europa on the other hand probably has liquid oceans underneath its ice surface that could easily contain indigenous life or sustain earth bacteria. There are lots of places on Earth that are less hospitable than Europa but where bacteria thrive.
To: Brian S
would it be unkind to ask NASA to crash the Galileo probe into Yasser Arafat? ...
THAT would be another satisfying crunch ...
18
posted on
09/14/2003 12:32:47 PM PDT
by
Bobby777
((with apologies to Snickers candy bars))
To: martin_fierro
Well thanks a lot for that, now I've another way to waste time. As if FR wasn't bad enough.
19
posted on
09/14/2003 12:57:02 PM PDT
by
ASA Vet
(1st Vietnam KIA: ASA Sp/4 James T. Davis)
To: Brian S
"All these worlds are yours, except Europa...
Attempt no landings there."
2010: Odyssey Two
Arthur C. Clarke
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