Laurie Boeder
Headquarters, Washington, DC August 13, 1996
(Phone: 202/358-1898)
RELEASE: 96-166
STATEMENT BY ADMINISTRATOR DANIEL S. GOLDIN ON THE
RELEASE OF NEW GALILEO SPACECRAFT IMAGES OF EUROPA:
"These fantastic new images of an icy moon of Jupiter
are reminiscent of the ice-covered Arctic Ocean on our
planet. The lack of craters, the cracks and signs of
movement, all indicate that this might be young ice on a
dynamic surface. It raises the possibility of a liquid ocean
on Europa, the only other place in our solar system where we
suspect such an ocean might exist.
"These images, dramatic as they are, are not the best
Galileo will provide. These are distant snapshots taken
during Galileo's encounter with a different moon, Ganymede.
We'll shoot a whole photo album when Galileo takes its
targeted pass at Europa in December.
"We're not going to jump the gun. These pictures do not
prove the existence of liquid water on Europa, and the
higher-resolution pictures yet to come may not prove it. A
few days ago, I greeted the possibility of ancient microbial
life on Mars with skeptical optimism, and invited further
scientific examination and debate. I greet the new pictures
of Europa in the same light.
"The pictures are exciting and compelling, but not
conclusive. The potential for liquid water on Europa is an
intriguing possibility, and another step in our quest to
explore the solar system, the stars, and the answer to the
great mystery of whether life exists anywhere else in the cosmos.
"We won't wait for all the answers. We'll release the
data as soon as it's available, and share the excitement of
discovery not only with scientists, but with the American
public, with educators, and especially with children. This
is their space program, the American space program, and they
should share in the awe and wonder of exploration.
"Once again, NASA will ask the scientific process to
work. We'll ask the best minds in the world to analyze these
pictures, and the pictures from our targeted pass at Europa.
Then we'll ask the scientific community to suggest the best
way to follow up on these fascinating findings. As always,
NASA will seek to continue to expand knowledge, and find the
fastest, best and most efficient ways to further this research."
- end -
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo
-end-
Back to UFO news update menu
All rights reserved to WUFOC and NÄRKONTAKT. If you reprint or quote any part of the content,
you must give credit to: WUFOC, the free UFO-alternative on the Internet, http://www.tripnet.se/home/west/ufocentr.htm