Launched on STS-41 (Discovery), Ulysses (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulysses_(spacecraft)) is going to be turned off. After operating 4 times beyond it's normal mission and bringing back weath of information on the Sun, Solar Wind, and many other observations, NASA/ESA have decided to power down the craft.
:-\
Lame.
Sad thats its happening, but it's answered all the questions it was designed to find out. It's now just merely observing the solar wind, and there's better craft planned for monitoring the solar wind.
One of the biggest costs of any mission (once past the mission time of the craft) is data transfer, especial deep space missions. Since the Data being returned now is only repeating what sciencists already know, it makes sense to shut it down.
It would be nice to see STS-41 as an addon mission :)
Ulysses has served it's purpose.. As I've read, there's another spacecraft that's going to replace it in the near future.. Studying the Sun (Sol) is a very important step as we (Earth'ers / Terran's) need it to stay alive.. Also, as I've read, Sol will be at a "high point" or a max of solar flare activity in 2012 - wonder if this has anything to do with the Mayan Calendar issue of 2012.... I guess we'll see..
If so, we've all got a front row seat !! ;) ;D