Galileo was designed to collect scientific information on Jupiter and its moons. Unfortunately, its high-gain antenna, shaped like an umbrella, failed to open properly, while the probe’s tape recorder became jammed. Galileo ultimately succeeded in its mission despite these setbacks by studying Jupiter’s four large moons and two main-belt asteroids, discovering that Ida has its…
Galileo, named after Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei, taught us much about Jupiter and its moons. Launching into space with a Titan IV rocket, its speed increased when passing Venus and Earth; eventually reaching Jupiter in 1995. Galileo made numerous remarkable discoveries during its two years orbiting Jupiter, including lava flows on Io and evidence for…
The fourth planet out from the Sun, Mars has fascinated people for centuries. The red planet is easy to see in the night sky, and telescopic observations have revealed many aspects of its surface and atmosphere. Observers have also recorded seasonal weather patterns, polar ice caps, volcanoes, and canyons on Mars. This is the first…
