"We haven't lost a spacecraft, we've gained a stepping stone into the future of space exploration." - Torrence Johnson, Galileo Project Scientist
This PMV is dedicated to Galileo, one of my favorite spacecraft, a spacecraft who had one of the most groundbreaking missions in the history of space exploration. This spacecraft was the first to fly by an asteroid, the first to orbit a gas giant planet, dropped a probe into the clouds of Jupiter, and made many astonishing discoveries about Jupiter's moons, including the discovery of Ganymede having a magnetic field and that the volcanic activity on Io may be 100 times greater than that on Earth.
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It started out as a feeling
Which then grew into a hope
Which then turned into a quiet thought
Which then turned into a quiet word
A young Europa hears that some scientists think he might have a subsurface ocean, possibly even life. He gets more and more intrigued by this possibility, even asking Titan about it.
And then that word grew louder and louder
'Til it was a battle cry
At that same time, Galileo is out in space, working hard at studying the inanimate Europa.
I'll come back
When you call me
No need to say goodbye
The time is nearing for Galileo to plunge into Jupiter. Jupiter and the moons are sad to see him go, but Galileo promises them that they'll see each other again someday.
Just because everything's changing
Doesn't mean it's never been this way before
Galileo cheers up Europa by telling him he believes that he has life on him.
All you can do is try to know who your friends are
As you head off to the war
As Galileo prepares to crash into the planet he studied for so long, he remembers the spacecraft who helped him through the long journey.
Pick a star on the dark horizon
And follow the light
As Galileo is in the final moments of his mission, he tears up remembering the planet and moons he came to know and love so well.
You'll come back when it's over
No need to say goodbye
After fading back on Earth with his mission over, Galileo cries not knowing if he'll see Jupiter and his moons again. Voyager 2 tries to ease his pain by reassuring him that he'll see them again.
You'll come back when it's over
No need to say goodbye
It is July 19, 2013, and the planets are at a Wave at Saturn event for Cassini's "The Day the Earth Smiled" image, where Jupiter spots none other than Galileo. Overjoyed, Jupiter and the Galilean Moons run over, and Jupiter picks Galileo up and hugs him.
