Mission Name HST: Hubble Space Telescope - Io LASP Instruments Principal Investigator: Unknown Destination Approx 600 km Earth Orbit Launch Date April 25th, 1990 Launch Location Kennedy Space Center Launch Vehicle Shuttle Mission Duration   Mission Description/ LASP involvement Not Applicable LASP Divisions Involved Science LASP Mission Web Page   Official Mission Web Page

Io plays a central role in the Jovian system, yet the mechanisms that couple its volcnoes, the tenuous atmosphere, the escaping corona and plasma torus remain elusive. In 1999 there is the unique opportunity to combine HST observations with the Galileo close flybys of Io. A team comprising 40 experienced Io observers, modelers and theorists have come together to propose a campaign of HST observations that will address 4 critical issues concerning Io's enigmatic behavior: What do the compositions of plumes and surface deposits reveal about Io's volcanism? How is Io's SO2 atmosphere affected by volcanic activity? How does Io's atmosphere interact with the surrounding plasma environment? What are the unidentified atmospheric emmiters detected by Galileo? What power the Io torus emissions? At LASP, Dr. Frances Bagenal is a mamber of the Io team, which will perform 30 orbits of HST observations using WFPC2 and STIS to address these 4 tasks. On their own these HST observations will answer many issues of the emissions form Io's surface and plumes, atmosphere, corona and plasma torus. The synergy of combined HST and Galileo observations provides a powerful scientific opportunity that will not be repeated in the foreseeable future.

Not Applicable