Space News for May 13, 1999
Written by Fraser Cain
Winds on Jupiter Go Supersonic
Astronomers have been investigating the clouds on Jupiter and have discovered a number of unique features: storms circling the poles reach supersonic speeds and a giant plasmasheet created from the interaction between Jupiter and Io.
Shuttle Tank Damaged by Hail
A heavy hailstorm over the weekend damaged an insulation cover on the Space Shuttle Discovery's external fuel tank. Although the damage can be repaired, there are several gouges in areas unreachable while the Shuttle is on the launch pad. NASA may have to delay the launch.
Alien Messages Could be Timed to Galactic Events
Astronomers from the SETI Institute believe that aliens trying to contact us may time their message with some kind of dramatic cosmic event, such as a supernova or gamma ray burst. They're keeping their radio telescopes tuned to the location, just after such an event.
Air Force Pronounces Milstar Officially Dead
After almost two weeks of effort to repair Milstar's botched orbit, Air Force officials have thrown in the towel. The spacecraft was raised to a stable altitude of 2,781 miles, the fuel was drained, and it was turned off. $800 million down the drain.
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