Galileo (spacecraft)

Galileo was a NASA mission that studied Jupiter and its moons from orbit from 1995 to 2003. It also released an atmospheric probe into Jupiter.

Galileo atmospheric probe: A probe released by Galileo that descended into Jupiter's atmosphere and transmitted measurements before contact ended. It separated from the orbiter and sampled Jupiter's atmosphere during the mission's arrival.
Europa: Jupiter's icy moon, whose surface and induced magnetic field indicate a global subsurface ocean. Galileo found evidence that made Europa a leading target in the search for habitable environments.
Pioneer 10: NASA's first spacecraft to fly past Jupiter, in 1973, on its journey out of the Solar System. Its reconnaissance helped establish the environment later missions would encounter at Jupiter.
Subsurface ocean: A body of liquid water beneath the surface of a planet or moon. Galileo's magnetic and geological observations strengthened the case for a hidden ocean on Europa.
Gravity assist: A spacecraft maneuver that changes speed or direction by passing near a moving body. Galileo used planetary flybys to gain the velocity needed to reach Jupiter.
Io: Jupiter's innermost large moon, marked by intense volcanism powered by tidal heating. Galileo repeatedly observed active eruptions and mapped Io's changing surface.
Voyager 1: A NASA spacecraft that flew past Jupiter in 1979 and sent detailed images and measurements to Earth. Its discoveries, including active volcanism on Io, set the stage for Galileo's prolonged investigation.
Tidal heating: Internal heating caused by repeated gravitational flexing of a body in an orbiting system. It explains how Jupiter's tides can sustain volcanism on Io and may warm Europa's ocean.
Galileo orbital insertion: The 1995 maneuver that slowed Galileo enough for Jupiter's gravity to capture it into orbit. This engine burn transformed a flyby mission into an orbiter.
Ganymede: Jupiter's largest moon and the only moon known to generate its own intrinsic magnetic field. Galileo detected its magnetic field and investigated its interaction with Jupiter's magnetosphere.

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