Mission Timeline
Date | Event |
Launch + Polar Orbit Insertion | |
6 Oct 1990 | Launch on the Space Shuttle "Discovery" |
30 Dec 1990 | 1st Opposition (SPE = 3.4°, SEP = 174.7°) |
21 Aug 1991 | 1st Conjunction (SPE = 0.3°, SEP = 1.1°) |
8 Feb 1992 | Jupiter Closest Approach (6.3 Rj) |
1st Solar Orbit | |
15 Feb 1992 | 1st Aphelion (5.40 AU) |
27 Feb 1992 | 2nd Opposition (SPE = 0.1°, SEP = 179.4°) |
26 Aug 1992 | Maximum Earth range (6.27 AU) |
2 Sep 1992 | 2nd Conjunction (SPE = 1.5°, SEP = 7.7°) |
1 Mar 1993 | 3rd Opposition (SPE = 4.6°, SEP = 156.4°) |
4 Sep 1993 | 3rd Conjunction (SPE = 5.8°, SEP = 25.6°) |
26 Jun 1994 | Start of 1st South Polar Pass |
13 Sep 1994 | Maximum South Solar Latitude (-80.2°) |
5 Nov 1994 | End of 1st South Polar Pass |
4 Mar 1995 | 4th Conjunction (SPE = 4.3°, SEP = 5.8°) |
12 Mar 1995 | 1st Perihelion (1.34 AU) |
13 Mar 1995 | Ecliptic crossing |
9 Jun 1995 | Minimum Earth range (2.01 AU) |
19 Jun 1995 | Start of 1st North Polar Pass |
31 Jul 1995 | Maximum North Solar Latitude (+80.2°) |
29 Sep 1995 | End of 1st North Polar Pass |
24 Feb 1997 | 4th Opposition (SPE = 5.6°, SEP = 151.6°) |
30 Aug 1997 | 5th Conjunction (SPE = 2.0°, SEP = 10.5°) |
26 Feb 1998 | 5th Opposition (SPE = 0.8°, SEP = 175.7°) |
2nd Solar Orbit | |
17 Apr 1998 | 2nd Aphelion (5.41 AU) |
9 May 1998 | Ecliptic crossing |
28 Aug 1998 | Maximum Earth range (6.36 AU) |
1 Sep 1998 | 6th Conjunction (SPE = 0.9°, SEP = 4.8°) |
1 Mar 1999 | 6th Opposition (SPE = 3.5°, SEP = 161.5°) |
5 Sep 1999 | 7th Conjunction (SPE = 4.6°, SEP = 21.6°) |
6 Sep 2000 | Start of 2nd South Polar Pass |
27 Nov 2000 | Maximum South Solar Latitude (-80.2°) |
16 Jan 2001 | End of Second South Polar Pass |
23 May 2001 | 2nd Perihelion (1.34 AU) |
25 May 2001 | Ecliptic crossing |
19 Jul 2001 | Minimum Earth range (1.34 AU) |
31 Aug 2001 | Start of 2nd North Polar Pass |
13 Oct 2001 | Maximum North Solar Latitude (+80.2°) |
10 Dec 2001 | End of 2nd North Polar Pass |
30 Aug 2003 | 8th Conjunction (SPE = 2.7°, SEP = 13.6°) |
4 Feb 2004 | Jupiter Closest Approach (1684 Rj) |
26 Feb 2004 | 7th Opposition (SPE = 1.6°, SEP = 171.6°) |
3rd Solar Orbit | |
30 Jun 2004 | 3rd Aphelion (5.41 AU) |
14 Jul 2004 | Ecliptic crossing |
29 Aug 2004 | Maximum Earth range (6.40 AU) |
1 Sep 2004 | 9th Conjunction (SPE = 0.4°, SEP = 2.0°) |
28 Feb 2005 | 8th Opposition (SPE = 2.7°, SEP = 165.8°) |
4 Sep 2005 | 10th Conjunction (SPE = 3.8°, SEP = 18.4°) |
17 Nov 2006 | Start of 3rd South Polar Pass |
7 Feb 2007 | Maximum South Solar Latitude (-79.7°) |
3 Apr 2007 | End of 3rd South Polar Pass |
18 Aug 2007 | 3rd Perihelion (1.39 AU) |
19 Aug 2007 | Ecliptic crossing |
27 Aug 2007 | Minimum Earth range (0.42 AU) |
30 Nov 2007 | Start of 3rd North Polar Pass |
14 Jan 2008 | Maximum North Solar Latitude (79.8°) |
15 Mar 2008 | End of 3rd North Polar Pass |
Table legend
Rj | = Jupiter radii |
SPE | = Sun-Probe-Earth angle |
SEP | = Sun-Earth-Probe angle |
Last Update: 21 January 2020