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Missions

From Pioneer to Juice

Flybys first, then an orbiter that dropped a probe in, then Juno, then two new spacecraft on their way to the moons.

The first visitors

A grainy picture of Jupiter’s striped clouds
Jupiter from Pioneer 10, the first spacecraft to fly past it.Photo: NASA, Public domain, Commons

Pioneer 10, launched on 2 March 1972, was the first spacecraft to fly past Jupiter, making its closest approach on 4 December 1973. NASA Science: Pioneer 10

Its sibling, Pioneer 11, flew even closer to Jupiter in 1974 on its way to Saturn. NASA Science: Jupiter exploration

Voyager

Voyager 1 flew past in March 1979 and found a thin ring, two new moons and active volcanoes on Io. NASA Science: Jupiter exploration Voyager 1’s closest approach was on 5 March 1979, 280,000 km from Jupiter. NASA Science: Voyager 1

Swirling clouds around the Great Red Spot in close-up
The Great Red Spot and its surroundings from Voyager 1, 25 February 1979.Photo: NASA, Public domain, Commons

Galileo: the first orbiter

Artist’s impression of the Galileo spacecraft near Jupiter
Artist’s impression of Galileo arriving at Jupiter, 7 December 1995.Art: NASA / JPL, Public domain, Commons

Galileo was the first spacecraft to orbit an outer planet. It arrived at Jupiter on 7 December 1995 and orbited 34 times. NASA Science: Galileo

Artist’s impression of a cone-shaped probe separating from a spacecraft above Jupiter
Artist’s impression, by Don Davis, of Galileo releasing its probe.Art: Don Davis, Public domain, Commons

Galileo dropped a probe into Jupiter’s atmosphere: the first entry probe into an outer planet. NASA Science: Galileo

Galileo was deliberately sent into Jupiter on 21 September 2003, to protect a possible ocean on Europa. NASA Science: Galileo

Shoemaker-Levy 9

In July 1994, pieces of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 smashed into Jupiter, from 16 to 22 July: the first time spacecraft watched two solar system bodies collide. NASA Science: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 When it was found in 1993, the comet was already torn into more than 20 pieces by Jupiter’s gravity. NASA Science: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9

Cassini, on the way past

Cassini explored the Jupiter system for about six months, from October 2000 to March 2001, on its way to Saturn. NASA Science: Jupiter exploration

Juno

Artist’s impression of a spacecraft with three long solar panels above Jupiter’s clouds
Artist’s impression of Juno making a close pass over Jupiter.Art: NASA/JPL-Caltech, Public domain, Commons

Juno launched on 5 August 2011 and entered orbit around Jupiter on 4 July 2016. NASA JPL: Juno Juno is the first solar-powered spacecraft to work at Jupiter. NASA Science: Juno

NASA’s Juno mission is named after the goddess, who could see through clouds. The spacecraft peers through Jupiter’s clouds too. NASA Science: Io facts

Juno found giant cyclones at Jupiter’s poles: eight in an octagon in the north and five in a pentagon in the south. NASA Science: Jupiter facts

Juno’s measurements suggest Jupiter’s core is larger than expected and not solid: scientists call it dilute, or “fuzzy”. NASA Science: Jupiter facts

In 2026, NASA reported that Juno’s data show Jupiter is about 8 km narrower at the equator and 24 km flatter at the poles than previously thought. NASA Science: Juno redefines the size and shape of Jupiter (2026)

Juno was still at work in 2026: on 1 May 2026 it photographed Thebe, one of Jupiter’s small inner moons. NASA Science: Juno stories · checked 27 Oct 2026

On their way: Europa Clipper and Juice

A big rocket lifting off on bright flames against a blue sky
Europa Clipper launching on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy, 14 October 2024.Photo: SpaceX, CC0, Commons

NASA’s Europa Clipper launched on 14 October 2024 and is due to reach Jupiter in April 2030. NASA Science: Europa Clipper · checked 27 Oct 2026 Europa Clipper is the first mission designed to make a detailed study of Europa. NASA Science: Europa Clipper

ESA’s Juice launched on 14 April 2023 and is due to reach Jupiter in July 2031, to study Ganymede, Europa and Callisto. ESA: Juice factsheet · checked 27 Oct 2026 Juice is planned to finish with an orbital tour of Ganymede. ESA: Juice factsheet

Timeline

  1. 1973 Pioneer 10, launched on 2 March 1972, was the first spacecraft to fly past Jupiter, making its closest approach on 4 December 1973. NASA Science: Pioneer 10
  2. 1974 Its sibling, Pioneer 11, flew even closer to Jupiter in 1974 on its way to Saturn. NASA Science: Jupiter exploration
  3. 1979 Voyager 1 flew past in March 1979 and found a thin ring, two new moons and active volcanoes on Io. NASA Science: Jupiter exploration
  4. 1979 Jupiter has rings, discovered by Voyager 1 in 1979. They are dark and faint, and hard to see unless the Sun is behind them. NASA Science: Jupiter facts
  5. 1994 In July 1994, pieces of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 smashed into Jupiter, from 16 to 22 July: the first time spacecraft watched two solar system bodies collide. NASA Science: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9
  6. 1995 Galileo was the first spacecraft to orbit an outer planet. It arrived at Jupiter on 7 December 1995 and orbited 34 times. NASA Science: Galileo
  7. 2000 Cassini explored the Jupiter system for about six months, from October 2000 to March 2001, on its way to Saturn. NASA Science: Jupiter exploration
  8. 2003 Galileo was deliberately sent into Jupiter on 21 September 2003, to protect a possible ocean on Europa. NASA Science: Galileo
  9. 2016 Juno launched on 5 August 2011 and entered orbit around Jupiter on 4 July 2016. NASA JPL: Juno
  10. 2023 ESA’s Juice launched on 14 April 2023 and is due to reach Jupiter in July 2031, to study Ganymede, Europa and Callisto. ESA: Juice factsheet · checked 27 Oct 2026
  11. 2024 NASA’s Europa Clipper launched on 14 October 2024 and is due to reach Jupiter in April 2030. NASA Science: Europa Clipper · checked 27 Oct 2026
  12. 2026 Juno was still at work in 2026: on 1 May 2026 it photographed Thebe, one of Jupiter’s small inner moons. NASA Science: Juno stories · checked 27 Oct 2026

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