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Date: 23 Oct 2006 18:53:21
From: Paul Neave
Subject: MESSENGER probe due for Venus encounter
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Only a few hours remaining til the closest approach...
http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/
Does anyone know if it'll be taking any images during this flyby, as
with the Earth flyby?
Thanks,
Paul.
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Date: 24 Oct 2006 00:50:36
From: Ed Holden
Subject: Re: MESSENGER probe due for Venus encounter
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"Paul Neave" <paul.neave@nospampleasegmail.com > wrote:
> Only a few hours remaining til the closest approach...
> http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/
>
> Does anyone know if it'll be taking any images during this flyby, as
> with the Earth flyby?
Sadly, it will not. Venus is at solar conjunction, and the engineers don't want
to be pitching and orienting the spacecraft whilst out of radio contact.
Not to worry, there will be observations on the second Venus flyby in 2007.
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Date: 23 Oct 2006 18:57:40
From: Bill Owen
Subject: Re: MESSENGER probe due for Venus encounter
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Ed Holden wrote:
> "Paul Neave" <paul.neave@nospampleasegmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Only a few hours remaining til the closest approach...
>> http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/
>>
>> Does anyone know if it'll be taking any images during this flyby, as
>> with the Earth flyby?
>
> Sadly, it will not. Venus is at solar conjunction, and the engineers don't want
> to be pitching and orienting the spacecraft whilst out of radio contact.
> Not to worry, there will be observations on the second Venus flyby in 2007.
Your "sadly" doesn't begin to compare with the "sadly" that would result
if MESSENGER were to run into troubles during solar conjunction. (Not
that it's likely to happen -- their lead attitude control engineer is
one of the best in the business.) Pictures of Venus now simply aren't
worth the risk.
-- Bill Owen "one of a whole bunch of risk-averse engineers here..."
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Date: 24 Oct 2006 13:39:39
From: Paul Neave
Subject: Re: MESSENGER probe due for Venus encounter
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Bill Owen wrote:
> Ed Holden wrote:
>> Sadly, it will not. Venus is at solar conjunction, and the engineers
>> don't want
>> to be pitching and orienting the spacecraft whilst out of radio contact.
>> Not to worry, there will be observations on the second Venus flyby in
>> 2007.
>
> Your "sadly" doesn't begin to compare with the "sadly" that would result
> if MESSENGER were to run into troubles during solar conjunction. (Not
> that it's likely to happen -- their lead attitude control engineer is
> one of the best in the business.) Pictures of Venus now simply aren't
> worth the risk.
>
> -- Bill Owen "one of a whole bunch of risk-averse engineers here..."
Very true, Bill. Better safe than sorry I suppose. I guess we'll just
have to wait til 2007... thanks guys.
Paul.
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