Galileo Probe

Launch data:

Mission details:

• The Galileo Probe separated from the Orbiter at 05:30 UTC on Jul 13, 1995. It will remain powered down for the coast to Jupiter, and will be awakened when its accelerometers detect braking due to entry in Jupiter's atmosphere.
• The Probe entered the atmosphere of Jupiter at 2204 UTC on Dec 7, 1995 at latitude 6.5 deg N, longitude 4.4 deg W in the NEB. The probe on-board timer was due to activate the probe at 1600 UTC after 5 months of dormancy. At 2311 UTC confirmation was received on Earth that the Orbiter was receiving data from the Probe. The parachute was deployed at 2206 UTC and a few seconds later the deceleration module (heatshield) was jettisoned. The probe was due to continue transmitting data until 2319 UTC.
• The Galileo probe descended 160 km below the Jovian cloud tops, surviving for 57 minutes after the beginning of entry.
• Theoretical analysis indicates that the probe parachute would melt at 2349 UTC and the internal probe equipment, made of aluminium, would melt around 0030 UTC with the probe's titanium structure surviving much deeper into the atmosphere, disintegrating at around 0700 UTC on Dec 8.
• On Dec 7, 1995, the Galileo Probe entered the Jovian atmosphere.