The ageing Galileo spacecraft, orbiting among the moons of Jupiter, is getting a new lease of life. Galileo survived double the amount of radiation it was designed to withstand while flying through a plasma belt near the volcanic moon Io, so NASA has extended its mission until the end of this year—when the Saturn-bound craft Cassini will fly past Jupiter.
Galileo’s next highlight will be an encounter with Io on 22 February, when the craft passes within 200 kilometres of the moon. Scientists will look for changes in a volcano they saw erupting in November.
