When did the Galileo spacecraft finally reach the Jovian system after its launch aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis?
Answer
In 1995.
The Galileo mission timeline involved a significant transit period after launch. The spacecraft was launched in 1989 aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis. Following that launch, it undertook a journey that included complex maneuvers, such as utilizing a gravity assist from Io, to slow down sufficiently for Jupiter's immense gravity to capture it. This successful capture, known as the Jupiter Orbit Insertion (JOI) maneuver, occurred in 1995, marking the start of the spacecraft's eight-year operational service orbiting the gas giant.
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