The ageing Galileo spacecraft, orbiting among the moons of Jupiter, is getting a new lease of life. Galileo survived double the amount of radiation it was designed to withstand while flying through a plasma belt near the volcanic moon Io, so NASA has extended its mission until the end of this year—when the Saturn-bound craft Cassini will fly past Jupiter.
Galileo’s next highlight will be an encounter with Io on 22 February, when the craft passes within 200 kilometres of the moon. 51¶¯Âþs will look for changes in a volcano they saw erupting in November.
