The probe's ion propulsion engine, which had been shut down during the Braille flyby, was turned back on by mission controllers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "We're up and thrusting again," says Steve Collins, the probe's attitude control systems engineer.

"It was pretty important that we do that as soon as we could after the asteroid flyby," says Collins, who notes that changing the course later would have required more propellant.

However, the probe requires money as well as fuel in order to accomplish the hoped-for comet flybys. The Deep Space 1 mission's funding officially ends on September 18. NASA has requested that Congress provide funds to extend the mission. A decision is expected by mid-September.

If the extended mission is approved, Deep Space 1 will pass by Comet Wilson-Harrington in January 2001 and Comet Borrelly in September of that year.