Galileo probe at Jupiter. Artist's impression of the Galileo atmospheric probe entering the atmosphere of Jupiter. The Galileo spacecraft released its atmospheric probe in July 1995. The probe will hit the atmosphere at around 47 km per second on 7 December 1995. The enormous heat generated will be deflected by a heat shield. As the probe slows down, a parachute will be deployed and the heat shield released to uncover the instruments. The probe will last for about 70 minutes until it is crushed in the lower atmosphere. Meanwhile, Galileo itself will enter orbit around the planet starting a two-year exploration of Jupiter and its moons.