We have observed four rotational transitions of SiO in its ground Vibr
ational state toward the ultracompact H II region and outflow source G
5.89-0.39, using the Pico Veleta 30 m and Effelsberg 100 m radio teles
copes and the Very Large Array radio interferometer. This allowed us t
o probe the low-velocity gas in the flow ''hidden'' from view in CO ob
servations owing to contamination by ambient gas and self-absorption T
he projected flow diameter is 0.08 pc with a northeast-southwest bipol
arity. The thermal pressure (P-therm/k) in the outflowing gas, determi
ned from a statistical equilibrium analysis of the SiO lines, is about
10(8) K cm(-3). Based on NH3 and CO observations, the kinetic tempera
ture of the outflowing gas is around 100 K. The combined results imply
densities of order 10(6) cm(-3) in the outflow region. The fractional
abundance of SiO relative to H,, based on comparisons of our data wit
h CO spectra of Choi et al., is 1 to 3 x 10(-9) in the outflowing gas.
We estimate the total mass in the outflow to be about 77 M(.).