Mission Status Summary The Galileo spacecraft was launched in October 1989 as the payload on STS-34. The Ulysses spacecraft is entering system test activity leading toward an October 1990 launch. The Galileo safety analysis has been completed. The FSAR analysis represents the Department of Energy's best estimate of expected conditions, using conservatism where necessary to defend positions taken in the analysis in lieu of more complete data. The INSRP is now evaluating the Galileo FSAR and writing the Safety Evaluation Report, which will depict the INSRP view of Galileo Mission risks related to nuclear safety. Given the results of the FSAR and SER, NASA management will weigh the relative benefits of the Galileo (and subsequently Ulysses) mission, compared to the potential risks of launch accident and plutonium release, in formulating a launch recommendation. DOE and DOD management will provide risk assessment inputs to this process. The launch recommendation is scheduled to go to OSTP on 15 July, and OSTP will reach its decision by 1 October 1989. The material presented herein is only a capsule summary of an enormous amount of effort on the part of NASA, DOE, DOD and their contractors to ensure and certify safe operations for the RTGs on Galileo and Ulysses. RTGs represent an enabling technology for outer planet and planetary surface exploration. The Galileo and Ulysses Project organizations are firmly convinced that the scientific, political and economic benefits to be gained from continuing exploration with missions such as Galileo and Ulysses strongly outweigh the residual risks due to accidents associated with the RTG power sources as presented in the Galileo Safety Analysis. Galileo has obtained the necessary launch approvals and re-establish a strong US posture in outer planet exploration. The ESA/NASA Ulysses mission will be following in Galileo's footsteps. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The research described in this paper was carried out by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and by the Department of Energy. REFERENCES [1] Galileo Earth Avoidance Study Report JPLD5580, Rev. A, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4 November 1988. [2] Safety Summary Report: general purpose heat source-radioisotope thermoelectric generators and light-weight radioisotope heater units on the Galileo mission. US Department of Energy, Office of Special Applications, 21 April 1989. [3] Final Safety Analysis Report II for the Galileo Mission, Prepared for the US Department of Energy. Vol I: Reference Design Document, General Electric Astro-Space Division, Document No. 87SDS4213, May 1988; Volume II: Summary, Book 1 and Book 2. Nuclear Risk Analysis Document. NUS Corporation, NUS 5126, Rev. 1, January 1989. [4] Light-Weight Radioisotope Heater Unit Final Safety Analysis Report (LWRHU- FSAR), MLM-3540, Ernest W. Johnson, EG&G Mound Applied Technologies, October 1988. [5] Space Shuttle Data for Planetary Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG) Safety Analysis, NTS 08116, Revision B, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, 27 September 1988.
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