Ulysses Fly-by
The joint ESA-NASA Ulysses deep-space mission was designed
to study the heliosphere - the region of space influenced by the Sun
and its magnetic field. The primary scientific goal was to make the
first-ever measurements of the unexplored region of space above the
Sun's poles. Other areas of investigation include determination of the
global properties and behaviour of the solar wind, the study of energetic
particles of solar and interplanetary origin, measurement of the magnetic
field of the Sun and the heliosphere, study of galactic cosmic rays,
investigation of how the heliosphere interacts with interstellar space,
and participation in a programme to identify the origin of gamma-ray
bursts.
Ulysses last
flew past Jupiter in February 2004. Its first fly-by of Jupiter occurred
in 1992. Here is
information about the 2004 Jupiter fly-by.
After more than 17 years of operation, the joint ESA/NASA
mission Ulysses will officially conclude in July 2008.
