Today on Galileo - September 9, 1996

Early this morning, Galileo makes its closest approach to Callisto for this orbit, passing within 424,000 km of the moon (twice as close as it came in the Ganymede-1 orbit). At that time, the imaging camera will make basic observations of Callisto, filling in geologic mapping data and crater statistics in an area that was not observed by either of the Voyager spacecraft. The NIMS instrument will also investigate Callisto's mineralogy and geologic composition.

The spacecraft passed through Callisto's L-shell, of particular interest to the fields and particles instruments. These observations enhance the understanding of the interaction between satellites and the magnetosphere.

This afternoon, once outside of the orbit of Jupiter's satellites, Galileo will be performing an Orbit Trim Manuever which changes the spacecraft's orientation in space. This "turn and burn" firing of Galileo's thrusters is in preparation for the future encounter in November with Jupiter, and a closest approach to Callisto of 3500 km.

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