The exploration of Jupiter has consisted of a few automated spacecraft visiting the planet since 1973. A large majority of the missions have been "flybys", in which detailed observations are taken without the probe landing or entering orbit; the Galileo spacecraft is only one to have orbited the planet. As Jupiter is projected to have only a small rocky core and no real solid surface, a landing mission is impossible. Galileo is prepared for mating with the IUS booster Galileo being deployed after being launched by the Space Shuttle Atlantis on the STS-34 mission Galileo was an unmanned spacecraft sent by NASA to study the planet Jupiter and its moons. ... For other uses, see Jupiter (disambiguation). ...

Flights to other planets within the Solar System are accomplished at a cost in energy, which is described in astrodynamics by the net change in velocity of the spacecraft, or delta-V. Reaching Jupiter from Earth orbit requires an additional delta-V of 9.2 km/s,^[1] which is comparable to the 9.7 km/s delta-V needed to reach low Earth orbit.^[2] However, gravity assists through planetary flybys can sometimes be used to reduce the energy required at launch to reach Jupiter, albeit at the cost of a significantly longer flight duration.^[1] General In general physics delta-v is simply the change in velocity. ... In orbital mechanics and aerospace engineering, a gravitational slingshot or gravity assist is the use of the gravity of a planet or other celestial body to alter the path and speed of a spacecraft. ... In orbital mechanics and aerospace engineering, a gravitational slingshot or gravity assist is the use of the gravity of a planet or other celestial body to alter the path and speed of a spacecraft. ...

Flyby missions

Pioneer flyby missions

Pioneer 10 flew past Jupiter in December of 1973, the first space craft to ever explore Jupiter, followed by Pioneer 11 thirteen months later. Pioneer 10 obtained the first-ever close up images of Jupiter and the Galilean moons, studied its atmosphere, detected its magnetic field, observed its radiation belts and found that Jupiter is mainly liquid.^[3] Pioneer 10 was the first spacecraft to travel through the asteroid belt, and was the first spacecraft to make direct observations of Jupiter. ... Position of Pioneer 10 and 11 Pioneer 11 was the second mission to investigate Jupiter and the outer solar system and the first to explore the planet Saturn and its main rings. ... Jupiters 4 Galilean moons, in a composite image comparing their sizes and the size of Jupiter (Great Red Spot visible). ...

Voyager flyby missions

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Voyager 1 took this photo of the planet Jupiter on January 24, 1979 while still more than 25 million miles (40 million kilometres) away. Click image for full caption.

Voyager 1 flew by in March 1979 followed by Voyager 2 in July of the same year. The Voyagers vastly improved the understanding of the Galilean moons and discovered Jupiter's rings. They also took the first close up images of the planet's atmosphere.^[4] - Download high resolution version (758x858, 58 KB)Caption: Voyager 1 took this photo of the planet Jupiter on January 24, while still more than 25 million miles (40 million kilometers) away. ... Download high resolution version (758x858, 58 KB)Caption: Voyager 1 took this photo of the planet Jupiter on January 24, while still more than 25 million miles (40 million kilometers) away. ... is the 24th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... For the album by The Verve, see Voyager 1 (album). ... Trajectory Voyager 2 is an unmanned interplanetary spacecraft, launched on August 20, 1977. ... Jupiters 4 Galilean moons, in a composite image comparing their sizes and the size of Jupiter (Great Red Spot visible). ...

Ulysses flyby mission

In February 1992, Ulysses solar probe flew past the north pole of Jupiter at a distance of 409,000 km (6.3 Jovian radii). This important maneuver was required for Ulysses to attain a very high-inclination orbit around the Sun. Ulysses drew gravitational energy from Jupiter to cast it into the desired orbit where it could make observations over the poles of the Sun. Ulysses spacecraft Ulysses is an unmanned probe designed to study the Sun at all latitudes. ...

During this pass the probe made measurements of Jupiter's magnetosphere. However, since there are no cameras onboard the probe, no images were taken. In February 2004, the probe came again to the vicinity of Jupiter. This time the distance was much greater—about 240 million km. - ^[5]

Shoemaker-Levy comet

Main article: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9

During the period July 16 to July 22, 1994, over twenty fragments from the comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 hit Jupiter's southern hemisphere, providing the first direct observation of a collision between two solar system objects. Although not a probe from Earth, the impact did provide data on the composition of Jupiter's atmosphere.^[6] Due to Jupiter's large mass and location near the inner solar system, the planet receives the most frequent comet impacts of the solar system's planets.^[7] Hubble Space Telescope image of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, taken on May 17, 1994. ... is the 197th day of the year (198th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 203rd day of the year (204th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... Comet Hale-Bopp Comet West For other uses, see Comet (disambiguation). ...

Galileo mission

Jupiter as seen by the space probe Cassini. This is the most detailed global color portrait of Jupiter ever assembled.

So far the only spacecraft to orbit Jupiter is the Galileo orbiter, which went into orbit around Jupiter on December 7, 1995. It orbited the planet for over seven years, conducting multiple flybys of all of the Galilean moons and Amalthea. It was the first probe to encounter Jupiters 4 major moons Io, Europa, Ganymede and Calisto. The spacecraft also witnessed the impact of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 as it approached Jupiter in 1994, giving a unique vantage point for the event. However, although the information it gained about the Jovian system was extensive, it was not as great as intended because the deployment of its high-gain radio transmitting antenna failed.^[8] Download high resolution version (1920x2400, 294 KB)Jupiter as seen by the space probe Cassini. This is the most detailed global color portrait of Jupiter ever assembled. ... Download high resolution version (1920x2400, 294 KB)Jupiter as seen by the space probe Cassini. This is the most detailed global color portrait of Jupiter ever assembled. ... Cassini-Huygens is a joint NASA/ESA/ASI unmanned space mission intended to study Saturn and its moons. ... Galileo is prepared for mating with the IUS booster Galileo being deployed after being launched by the Space Shuttle Atlantis on the STS-34 mission Galileo was an unmanned spacecraft sent by NASA to study the planet Jupiter and its moons. ... is the 341st day of the year (342nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... Apparent magnitude: 14. ... Hubble Space Telescope image of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, taken on May 17, 1994. ...

An atmospheric probe was released from the spacecraft in July, 1995, entering the planet's atmosphere on 7 December 1995. After a high-g descent into the jovian atmosphere, the probe discarded the remains of its heat shield, and it parachuted through 150 km of the atmosphere, collecting data for 57.6 minutes, before being crushed by the pressure & temperature to which it was subjected (about 22 times Earth normal, at a temperature of 153 ^oC). [1] It would have melted thereafter, and possibly vaporized. The Galileo orbiter itself experienced a more rapid version of the same fate when it was deliberately steered into the planet on September 21, 2003 at a speed of over 50 km/s, in order to avoid any possibility of it crashing into and contaminating Europa.^[8] is the 264th day of the year (265th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Apparent magnitude: 5. ...

Future probes

NASA is planning a mission to study Jupiter in detail from a polar orbit. Named Juno, the spacecraft is planned to launch by 2011.[11] Juno at Jupiter Juno is a NASA mission to Jupiter planned to cost roughly $700 million and scheduled to launch by June 30, 2010. ...

Because of the possibility of a liquid ocean on Jupiter's moon Europa, there has been great interest to study the icy moons in detail. A mission proposed by NASA was dedicated to study them. The JIMO (Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter) was expected to be launched sometime after 2012. However, the mission was deemed too ambitious and its funding was cancelled.[12] Artistss Conception of Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter The Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO) was a proposed spacecraft designed to explore the icy moons of Jupiter. ...

References