The Hazards of Jupiter

It was a tense few minutes as we sped through the edge of Jupiter's radiation belt. We even put radiation suits over our usual flight suits just to be safe.

I'll be happier once we reach Callisto Base. But even though Callisto orbits far away from Jupiter, we still have a potential radiation hazard.

This was a cool shot with Jupiter shining in the windows behind me
and also reflected in my helmet visor from the navigation screen.

Even with all the dangers, the Jupiter system - which includes lots of moons, planetary rings, and many international orbital stations - is a fascinating place for science, manufacturing, and even art.

When I was studying about Jupiter to prepare for my visit to Callisto Base, I realized I could spend years learning about this elaborate planetary system. It's like a small solar system all to itself.

The most amazing thing to me is that, while Jupiter probably can't support the kind of life we are used to, some of Jupiter's moons have oceans beneath their crusts that might support life. Amazing!

You can study Jupiter too at https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/jupiter/overview/