🚀 go-pugleaf

                       GALILEO DAILY REPORT
                         18 OCTOBER 1989
 
                             General
 
     STS 34, with Galileo aboard, was launched from KSC at
12:53 p.m. EDT on 18 October 1989. Once in orbit the IUS went through
a predeployment checkout. A "Mission Phase 6" error did occur when attempting
to lock in the RF link to Sunnyvale through the PI (Payload Integrator), but
this was determined to be static on the RF link. The tilt table was then
raised up to a 58 degree angle, and Galileo was deployed at a time of
6 hours 21 minutes 23.397 seconds after launch, on the 6th orbit around
the earth.
     The tilt table was then lowered back down to its initial -6 degrees. At
about 15 minutes after deployment Atlantis executed a separation burn. Live
pictures were then transmitted to Houston control showing the payload bay area
and the inside of the shuttle. At 7 hours 21 minutes after launch the 1st stage
IUS burn was executed and verified by Sunnyvale. The 2nd stage UIS burn
occurred 5 minutes later to place Galileo on an Earth escape velocity of
7.1 miles/sec. The VTR playback of the Galileo deployment was then transmitted
to Houston.
     Debris looking like ice particles was seen to be floating around the
shuttle. Houston control questioned the crew about what the debris could be.
     At 7 hours 46 minutes after launch, the IUS went into a 1st stage spinoff
to deploy the RTG and science booms. The 2nd stage IUS spinoff at a rate of
2.9 revolutions/second for the separation of the IUS from Galilio sooned
followed. At this point telemetry data were transmitted and recieved by
DSN (Deep Space Network).
     Galileo is expected to arrive at Venus in February 1990 on its first
leg of its journey to Jupiter.
 

             Ron Baalke                        (818) 541-2341 ext 260
             Jet Propulsion Lab  M/S 301-355
             4800 Oak Grove Dr.
             Pasadena, CA 91109