What was the main goal of the Galileo mission?

What was the main goal of the Galileo mission?

About the mission While its aim was to study Jupiter and its mysterious moons, which it did with much success, NASA’s Galileo mission also became notable for discoveries during its journey to the gas giant. It was the first spacecraft to visit an asteroid — two in fact, Gaspra and Ida.

How did the Galileo mission sample the atmosphere of Jupiter?

The Galileo atmospheric descent probe was dropped directly into Jupiter’s cloudtops to collect data about the atmosphere. At launch, the orbiter weighed 2-1/2 tons (2,223 kilograms) and measured 17 feet (5.3 meters) from the top of the low-gain antenna to the bottom of the probe.

What were the top science results from the Galileo mission?

Scientific results of the Galileo mission (so far) The discovery of a satellite (Dactyl) of an asteroid (Ida). Confirmation of the existence of a huge ancient impact basin in the southern part of the Moon’s far side (inferred from Apollo data but never before mapped).

What happened to Galileo mission?

The Galileo spacecraft’s 14-year odyssey came to an end on Sunday, Sept. 21, when the spacecraft passed into Jupiter’s shadow then disintegrated in the planet’s dense atmosphere at 11:57 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time. The Deep Space Network tracking station in Goldstone, Calif., received the last signal at 12:43:14 PDT.

What was learned from the Galileo mission?

Galileo’s atmospheric probe discovered that Jupiter has thunderstorms many times larger than Earth’s. The probe measured atmospheric elements, and found that their relative abundances were somewhat different than on the Sun, indicating Jupiter’s evolution since the planet formed.

How much did the Galileo mission cost?

1.6 billion USD
Galileo/Cost

When did Galileo crash?

Sept. 21, 2003
On Sept. 21, 2003, Galileo’s mission finally ended as it plummeted into Jupiter’s atmosphere.

What was the mission of the Galileo spacecraft?

Mission Overview. The Galileo mission consists of two spacecraft: an orbiter and an atmospheric probe. Launched during the STS 34 flight of the Atlantis orbiter, the two spacecraft were kicked out of Earth orbit by an inertial upper stage (IUS) rocket, sending them careening through the inner solar system.

How did Galileo change the way we look at our Solar System?

Galileo changed the way we look at our solar system. When the spacecraft plunged into Jupiter’s crushing atmosphere on Sept. 21, 2003, it was being deliberately destroyed to protect one of its own discoveries—a possible ocean beneath the icy crust of the moon Europa.

When did the Galileo probe get to Jupiter?

The Galileo Probe and Orbiter separated on July 13, 1995 and both arrived at Jupiter on slightly different trajectories. The Galileo Orbiter successfully became the first spacecraft to enter an orbit about Jupiter a few hours after the Probe’s successful descent into the atmosphere.

Who are the crew members of the Galileo mission?

Shuttle mission STS-34 lifted off from Kennedy Space Center’s Pad 39-B on Oct. 18, 1989. The crew included Donald E. Williams, Commander; Michael J. McCulley, Pilot; Franklin R. Chang-Diaz, Mission Specialist 1; Shannon W. Lucid, Mission Specialist 2; and Ellen S. Baker, Mission Specialist 3.