The Galileo spacecraft was a NASA mission launched in 1989 to study the planet Jupiter and its moons. It was the first spacecraft to orbit Jupiter, providing valuable data about the planet's atmosphere, magnetic field, and radiation environment. The mission also included a probe that descended into Jupiter's atmosphere, gathering information about its composition. During its mission, the Galileo spacecraft discovered several new moons and provided detailed images of Jupiter's largest moons, including Io, Europa, and Ganymede. The spacecraft operated until 2003, significantly enhancing our understanding of the Jovian system and contributing to future exploration of the outer planets.