🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <16459@umd5.umd.edu> jjk@astro.umd.edu (Jim Klavetter) writes:
>So the question 1) does HST have the capability of imaging Galileo
>when it gets close to earth?


   Just as an off the cuff guess, I think it would be quite unlikely
that Galileo could be imaged accurately by Hubble.  First, the HST was
designed to image objects quite far away, so the chances of being
within the focal range of an acceptable instrument may be low.  In
addition, Galileo will be moving fairly quickly wrt the Earth, making
the acquisition of a detailed image of the HGA ribs less likely.  And
finally, I know only a bit about Galileo's trajectory, and know nothing
whatsoever about Hubble, but it may not even be possible to point at
the spacecraft.
   Any differing opinions or more technical responses to any of the
above points would be welcome.

>  and 2) would this help the engineers at all?

   I have enough faith in the spacecraft team to believe that if
it were possible and it would help, they'd already have planned it.
--
Joel Plutchak, Research Programmer/Analyst