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NASA’s Galileo spacecraft flies past asteroid Gaspra at 18,000 mph, capturing images on its way to Jupiter

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On Oct. 29, 1991, Galileo passed asteroid Gaspra and took images while traveling at about 18,000 mph. The encounter added an asteroid observation to the spacecraft’s journey to Jupiter, demonstrating how a planetary mission could gather science during its cruise through the solar system.

Discovered 2026-10-29T15:19:09.023419-07:00 | 2026-10-29T15:19:09.023419-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • Galileo’s Gaspra flyby paired asteroid imaging with the spacecraft’s transit to Jupiter, adding a science target along its route.
  • The encounter is a milestone in the use of planetary spacecraft to study small bodies during deep-space missions.

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Space.com
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First Seen
2026-10-29T15:19:09.023419-07:00
Latest Update
2026-10-29T15:19:09.023419-07:00
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Space

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