On 21 September 2003, the Galileo space probe will end its highly successful visit to Jupiter and its system of satellites by diving into the giant planet's atmosphere, its fuel and power exhausted.

Despite the fact that its main antenna never deployed properly, Galileo sent us the most wonderful images, and increased our knowledge enormously. It was launched from the Space Shuttle Atlantis in October 1989.

This image shows how it may look as, glowing with friction, it begins to break up above the cloud belts. This process will of course begin much higher in the atmosphere, but it may survive to lower levels before vaporising completely ~ and a little artist's licence has been used! The scene may of course evoke sad memories of Columbia for many, though with no oxygen in this alien atmosphere Galileo cannot burn. It will glow and eventually vaporise, leaving an ionisation trail. Galileo has been deliberately given a rather birdlike, symbolic appearance (a phoenix?), while remaining accurate.

The volcanic moon Io appears at right, and lightning flashes in the clouds far below.

Free use on non-commercial websites, but please contact AstroArt first; also if you wish to use this image for publication or other uses. A vertical version is also available.

Here is an impression of Galileo making one of its fly-bys of the volcanic moon Io, from the cover of Astronomy Now magazine, October 2003 (also now available for other uses):

See also the SpaceflightNow site for the full story