Space Probes Too Slow - Scientists Ask "Why?"

Posted by Roblimo on Tuesday September 28, 1999 @09:10PM from the inquiring-reseachers-want-to-know dept.

Rudolf writes "Newsweek has an article this week, available here, about NASA calculating that space probes, such as Pioneer 10, 11, and Ulysses, are slowing down more than they should. A team of astronomers and physicists couldn't figure it out, so they published their findings in Physical Review Letters to generate discussion. Several possible causes of the slowing have been discussed, but nothing that completely solves the puzzle. Anyone care to rethink gravity and time?" Update: 09/29 09:00 by H :Thanks to Mark for his link to the original citation.

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I thought this was solved (links) by teraflop+user · 1999-09-28 16:44 · Score: 5

I first saw this story in New Scientist a year ago. I think it was reported in Slashdot at the time.
A month later New Scientist published this story, suggesting that the slowing was due to the reaction from heat radiated from the probes RTG power plant.
They still appear to be arguing over whether this effect is big enough. Measurements involving heat are notoriously difficult, as the cold fusion debacle showed.