Galileo

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Spacecraft launched from the space shuttle Atlantis on 18 October 1989 to explore the planet Jupiter. Galileo's probe entered the atmosphere of Jupiter in December 1995. It radioed information back to the orbiter for 57 minutes before the craft was destroyed by atmospheric pressure. The first pictures of Jupiter were transmitted in 1996. In 1997 Galileo completed two fly-bys of Jupiter's fourth-largest and icy moon Europa, and in February 2000 it passed within 200 km/125 mi of Jupiter's third-largest moon Io. In September 2003, with its mission completed, the orbiter was deliberately plunged into Jupiter's atmosphere to avoid any chance that it would crash onto a satellite and contaminate it.

The spacecraft flew past the planet Venus in February 1990 and passed within 970 km/600 mi of Earth in December 1990 and December 1992, using the gravitational fields of these two planets to increase its velocity. It flew past the asteroids Gaspra in 1991 and Ida in 1993, taking close-up photographs.

White stands for peace. The shield and weapons express a willingness to defend the country. Green symbolizes plenty. Blue represents rain. Effective date: 20 January 1987. >>