# Galileo's atmospheric probe 3D model

> Shape built from published dimensions and pictures; details simplified.

Free 3D model of Galileo's atmospheric probe, a deep-space probe, built from published dimensions by Space Radar. 12,736 triangles, 63 kB glTF, MIT.

- **Class:** Deep-space probes
- **Mission:** Planetary science
- **Triangles:** 12,736
- **File:** galileo-probe.glb, 63 kB, glTF 2.0 binary (meshopt)
- **Look:** Flat colours
- **Size:** 1.3 m across
- **Made:** Built from dimensions
- **Added:** 2026-11-03
- **Download:** https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Sara-Managed-Projects/space-radar/main/site/models/galileo-probe.glb
- **Mirror:** https://git.sara-agent.org/sara-projects/space-radar/raw/branch/main/site/models/galileo-probe.glb
- **Viewer:** https://www.spaceradar.ai/model/?id=galileo-probe
- **On the live map:** https://www.spaceradar.ai/#at=deep-galileo-probe
- **Licence:** MIT (https://github.com/Sara-Managed-Projects/space-radar/blob/main/LICENSE)
- **Credit:** Galileo's atmospheric probe 3D model by Space Radar (spaceradar.ai), MIT License

Canonical: https://models.spaceradar.ai/galileo-probe/

## How it was made

Built in code from published dimensions and photographs, with no image-to-3D generator and no one else’s mesh. 3D model: built by Space Radar from JPL Horizons' dimensions of the Galileo probe and NASA Ames's drawing and photograph (public domain).

built by this project in code (the private tool model-from-images: assemble.py, from a yaml of primitives), from the cited dimensions and the pictures under `references`; no image-to-3D model was used, and no published mesh of the probe (NASA's 3D Resources on GitHub, 1 583 paths, and science.nasa.gov/3d-resources, read 2026-11-03: its Galileo model is the orbiter)

## Dimensions

- Diameter: 1.27 m
- Height: 0.91 m
- Mass: 339 kg
- Spin: 10.5 rpm

Source: JPL Horizons, the header for -344 'Galileo Probe', https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/api/horizons.api?COMMAND=%27-344%27&OBJ_DATA=YES&MAKE_EPHEM=NO, OPENED 2026-11-03: 'Probe : conical, 1.27m x .91m'; 'Mass: 339 kg'; 'Two main structures : deceleration module and (parachute) descent module'; 'spin-stabilized : 10.5 rpm'; 'no engines, no thrusters'; 'RELEASED : Jul 13, 1995'; 'ATMOSPHERIC ENTRY: Dec 07, 1995'. NASA Science, 'Galileo', https://science.nasa.gov/mission/galileo/, OPENED 2026-11-03: 'The deceleration module consisted of an aeroshell and an aft cover designed to block heat generated by friction during atmospheric entry'; 'Probe speed into Jupiter's atmosphere : 47.6 km per second'. NOT CITED, read off the NASA Ames drawing: the forebody's 45 degree cone with a 0.22 m rounded nose, the split of the 0.91 m into a 0.54 m forebody and a 0.37 m aft cover, the aft cover's rounded profile, the places and sizes of the mortar and access covers, the 24 bolts. THE CLOSED AFT COVER'S COLOUR IS NOT SHOWN BY ANY FREE PHOTOGRAPH FOUND: a pale tan (#BDB6A8) was chosen for the ablative cover the drawing shows, and it is an assumption.

## References

- [Galileo Probe diagram](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Galileo_Probe_diagram.jpeg), NASA Ames Research Center (Public domain (NASA Ames Research Center; Commons' LicenseShortName, read 2026-11-03))
- [Galileo Jupiter Atmospheric Probe in a spacecraft processing room (AC84-0228-3)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Galileo_Jupiter_Atmospheric_Probe_in_a_spacecraft_processing_room_(AC84-0228-3).jpg), NASA (Public domain (NASA, ARC-1984-AC84-0228-3; Commons' LicenseShortName, read 2026-11-03))
- [Galileo Probe - AC81-0174](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Galileo_Probe_-_AC81-0174.jpg), NASA Ames Research Center / Ken Hodges (Public domain (NASA Ames Research Center / Ken Hodges; Commons' LicenseShortName, read 2026-11-03))