Dec 4 1990
From The Space Library
The Ulysses spacecraft launched from Space Shuttle Discovery and developed a problem on its trip to rendezvous with Jupiter in 1992, from which it would slingshot to achieve polar orbit around the sun. It was believed that the difficulty came from a 24-1/2-foot antenna boom meant to study radio signals in space and waves in the solar winds. Scientists ascertained that the boom was bent, perhaps from the sun's rays, and was causing the craft to wobble. Because of the wobble, the main dish-shaped antenna would not be able to focus on Earth and relay data gleaned from the star. Scientists were confident that the problem would be solved before the craft's 1994 mission began. (C Trib, Dec 15/90; NY Times, Dec 16/90)
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