NASA Jupiter probe completes Earth flyby
LOS ANGELES – NASA’s Jupiter-bound spacecraft has swung by Earth in a flyby designed to boost its speed for the long trip toward the outer solar system.
The Juno spacecraft flew within 350 miles of the Earth’s surface just off the coast of South Africa, shortly before 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.
The European Space Agency and NASA say ground controllers in Australia received a signal from the spacecraft about 20 minutes later.
Previous missions to Jupiter and Saturn have also used Earth as a gravity slingshot.
Juno was launched in 2011, hurtling beyond the orbit of Mars before looping back toward Earth. The Earth flyby increased its speed to 87,000 mph relative to the sun.
It will arrive at Jupiter in 2016 for a yearlong study of the giant planet’s atmosphere and interior.
Obama names Yellen to be next head at Fed
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama says that in Janet Yellen he’s found a tough and proven leader to take over as chairman of the Federal Reserve.
Yellen currently is No. 2 at the nation’s powerful central bank.
She would succeed outgoing Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke at a pivotal time for the economy and the bank’s monetary policies.
If confirmed by the Senate, the 67-year-old Yellen would be the first woman to head any country’s major central bank.
She emerged as the favorite for the post after former treasury secretary and White House favorite Lawrence Summers withdrew from consideration.
Ex-police officer dies in courthouse shooting
WHEELING, W.Va. – A retired police officer armed with what federal marshals described as an assault-type rifle fired up to two dozen rounds at a West Virginia federal courthouse Wednesday until police returned fire and killed him, authorities said.
Mayor Andy McKenzie said two security officers within the Wheeling Federal Building were hurt by flying debris, but there were no other injuries.
McKenzie said police who briefed him told him the man was a 20-year-plus veteran of the force who retired 13 years ago.
Hospital IDs dead body as missing patient
SAN FRANCISCO – A patient who disappeared from her room at San Francisco’s main hospital last month was identified Wednesday as the woman found dead this week in an emergency stairwell, horrified authorities said as they continued to investigate how she got there and died.
San Francisco General Hospital Chief Medical Officer Todd May said officials were still awaiting confirmation of the woman’s identity from the medical examiner’s office. But he said the hospital had enough information to conclude the body discovered in the fourth-floor stairwell belonged to 57-year-old Lynne Spalding.
“What happened at our hospital is horrible,” May said at a news conference. “We are here to take care of patients, to heal them, to keep them safe. ”
Associated Press
