5.2
AU FROM SUN
DISTANCE
777,908,928 km
13 years, 337 days
MISSION DURATION
TOTAL
2,562
KG
LAUNCH MASS
9
TARGETS
Venus, Earth, Asteroid Gaspra
Galileo is a orbiter mission by NASA / JPL targeting Jupiter. Launched October 18, 1989. Currently 5.2 AU from the Sun.
ABOUT GALILEO
Galileo was the first spacecraft to orbit Jupiter, studying the planet and its moons from 1995 to 2003. It deployed an atmospheric probe that descended into Jupiter’s atmosphere and discovered evidence of subsurface oceans on Europa. To prevent potential contamination of Europa, Galileo was deliberately crashed into Jupiter’s atmosphere in September 2003.
KEY DISCOVERIES
- Evidence of subsurface ocean on Europa
- Extensive volcanism on Io
- Ganymedes magnetic field
- Discovery of Dactyl moon of asteroid Ida
- First direct observations of comet impact (Shoemaker-Levy 9)
TECHNOLOGY & FIRSTS
- First spacecraft to orbit Jupiter
- Deployed atmospheric entry probe into Jupiter
- First asteroid flyby (Gaspra)
- First discovery of an asteroid moon (Dactyl orbiting Ida)
SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS (9)
SSI (Solid-State Imager)
NIMS (Near-IR spectrometer)
UVS (UV spectrometer)
PPR (Photopolarimeter-Radiometer)
MAG (Magnetometer)
EPD (Energetic Particles)
PLS (Plasma subsystem)
PWS (Plasma wave)
DDS (Dust Detector)
SPACECRAFT SPECIFICATIONS
Launch Mass2,562 kg (5,649 lbs)
PowerRTG (Plutonium-238)
Propulsion400N main engine
Launch VehicleSpace Shuttle Atlantis / IUS
Launch DateOctober 18, 1989
Arrival DateDecember 7, 1995
Mission EndSeptember 21, 2003
ProgramFlagship
MISSION TRAJECTORY
1
Venus
2
Earth
3
Asteroid Gaspra
4
Asteroid Ida
5
Jupiter
6
Io
7
Europa
8
Ganymede
9
Callisto
LAUNCH HISTORY
OTHER JUPITER MISSIONS