Ulysses mission to end during IYA2009

29 June 2009

Many space missions and astronomy projects are beginning during IYA2009, but there are also venerable operations coming to an end. One of these is the ESA/NASA Ulysses spacecraft, due to cease operations on 30 June 2009.

Ulysses was the first spacecraft to survey the environment in space above and below the poles of the Sun in the four dimensions of space and time. It has spent 18.6 years in space, making it the longest and indeed one of the most successful spaceflight missions ever. Its studies of the Sun's magnetic field have proved to be invaluable to scientists.

Now the spacecraft's power is very weak and it is becoming ever-more difficult to obtain scientific data and communicate with it. After the plug is pulled Ulysses will continue orbiting the Sun, becoming a "man-made comet" journeying through the Solar System.

More information:

 

Organisational Associates:
ESO AAS INSU CAS STRW NOVA STFC SCNAT SPA NRC MEC CNES DLR ESA JAXA NAOJ APL PS ESF ISRO ICRAN NLSI NOT U Cluster NASAEAS ASI NRAO CEA  KASI EAE SPA AUI CROSCI


The International Year of Astronomy 2009 is endorsed by the United Nations and the International Council of Science.