Jupiter (Planet) -- Photographs from space; Jupiter probes; Voyager Project
emission Bell Labs flashes in Jupiter’s
atmosphere, from the
light and radio
transmissions from
those flashes.
Energetic particles H. M. Fischer, U. Measure energetic
Kiel (Germany) electrons and protons
in the inner regions
of the Jovian
radiation belts and
determine their
spatial distributions.
Because of the intense radiation environment, the Galileo Orbiter will
not be able to spend much time in the inner magnetosphere, near the
orbit of Io. To do so would risk damage to the spacecraft electronics
and a premature end to the mission. Additional thruster firing during
the first orbit can be used to raise the periapse to 10 R_J or greater.
No more close passes by Io will be possible, but studies of this
satellite can be made on each subsequent orbit with imaging resolutions
of about 10 kilometers, sufficient to see details of the volcanic
eruptions and monitor volcano-associated changes in the surface.
At each subsequent orbit, Galileo will be programmed for a close flyby
of one of the other satellites. Several passes each of Callisto,
Ganymede, and Europa should be possible. The satellite tour does not
need to be fully planned in advance; by adjusting the spacecraft
trajectory with small bursts of the thruster motors, navigation
engineers can modify the orbit to permit adaptation to scientific needs.
As the Orbiter mission progresses, the spacecraft will also sample many
parts of the magnetosphere, including one long excursion, at least 150
R_J, into the magnetotail.
The total duration of the Orbiter mission is planned to be at least 20
months. Additions to the basic mission are possible if the spacecraft
remains healthy and fuel reserves are adequate. In contrast, the Galileo
Probe mission lasts only a few hours.
As the Probe approaches the atmosphere of Jupiter at the awesome speed
of 26 kilometers per second, it will be traversing a region of space
never before explored. An energetic particle detector will investigate
the innermost magnetosphere before the entry begins. Then, within a
period of just a few minutes, friction with the upper atmosphere must
dissipate the Probe energy until it is falling gently in the Jovian air.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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