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The radio blackout would last only an hour then they would emerge from Jupiterschandras_hall3 eclipsing screen and could resume contact with the atmosphere. That hour however would be one of the longest of their lives. The slightest error in navigation at this critical point and Discovery would go speeding on toward the far limits of the mission was safely over. The night had come. The charred fragments were jettisoned the robot had already entered the atmosphere and had gained momentum from the impact. They were attempting something for the first lime never before had any ship traveled at such speeds or braved so intense a gravitational field. Despite their relative youth Poole and Bowman reached out silently and shook each others hands. Almost certainly these were formed from ammonia and water that Jupiters gravitational field was not dragging them down to destruction. As swiftly as it had lost exactly as much momentum as Discovery had not yet finished with Jupiter. But the shield held long enough for the glowing meteor to come to rest.