Next Galileo Science Briefing Scheduled For April 9
Douglas Isbell Headquarters, Washington, DC April 4, 1997 (Phone: 202/358-1753) Jane Platt Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA (Phone: 818/354-5011) NOTE TO EDITORS: N97-25
New images of Europa from NASA's Galileo mission and related animation supporting the theory that the icy moon of Jupiter may have a subsurface ocean will be presented at a press briefing on Wednesday, April 9, at 2 p.m. EDT. The briefing will originate from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, and will be carried live on NASA Television.
The latest images were taken during Galileo's closest flyby of Europa on Feb. 20, 1997, when the spacecraft came within 363 miles of the Jovian moon and took very high resolution images of features in regions never before studied.
The tantalizing new images and data indicate Europa has a thin ice crust covering either liquid water or slush. Scientists are intrigued by the prospect that a slushy concoction of chemicals in this region could nurture life. The briefing will include outside experts raising the possibility that Europa's oceans may contain thermal vents, sea ice and other phenomena found on Earth.
The estimated age of Europa's surface also will be discussed, with controversial new information leading some scientists to conclude the surface is much younger than previously believed. As evidence of that, images will be shown of relatively smooth, crater-free areas.
NASA Television is available through GE-2, Transponder 9C at 85 degrees West longitude, vertical polarization, with a frequency of 3880 Mhz, and audio of 6.8 Mhz. The new images of Europa will be released on the Galileo Internet home page at the following URL:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/
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