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Sun 30 May, 2004 10:15 pm
The Cassini spacecraft and Huygens probe is nearing Saturn for some fly-by study. The spacecraft will set into saturnian orbit and will eject the probe to study the moon, Titan, in greater detail after entering the moon's atmosphere (and landing?).
Already there have been some gorgeous photos similar to the one's taken by the Voyager crafts.
Saturn mission at NASA's JPL
Wow very interesting, great pictures. Thank you for the link.
It's marvelous. And the following link steadily updates the photo.
It gives me goose bumps to see our neighbors so well.
Quote:Cassini-Huygens, the joint NASA/ESA/ASI space mission, is due to enter Saturn's orbit during the early hours of Thursday 1st July 2004.....
After crossing through the gap between two of the Saturn's rings Cassini-Huygens will fire its main engine to reduce its speed, allowing the spacecraft to be captured by Saturn's gravity and enter orbit. The spacecraft will then begin a four-year tour of the ringed planet, its mysterious moons, the stunning rings, and its complex magnetic environment......
news link
NASA has a site listing the coverage of events from 6/29-7/1 at
NASA coverage scedule
and here is a link for NASA's cassini site (in case I haven't yet posted it)
Cassini Mission
It's still more of a thrill looking at it through my 4 inch newtonian.
Tobruk, I know what you mean.
Satt - Through the rings! I love that part.
Tonight, at about 9:30 EST, NASA will show the probe passing through the rings and going into orbit around Saturn (I think).
Gives me the heebie-jeebies. Cells are much more comforting.
Wow. I saw these photos on the news tonight and thought they were computer generated art. They're fantastic. I remember when that space craft went up seven years ago. Because of the name. Cassini. As in Oleg Cassini, the fashion designer.
eoe wrote:Wow. I saw these photos on the news tonight and thought they were computer generated art. They're fantastic. I remember when that space craft went up seven years ago. Because of the name. Cassini. As in Oleg Cassini, the fashion designer.
It's named after the division in Saturn's rings I'd bet.
Well, we knew it wasn't named after Oleg Cassini, huh?
0218 GMT (10:18 p.m. EDT Wed.)
Cassini's velocity is 51,000 mph.
0226 GMT (10:26 p.m. EDT Wed.)
The spacecraft has made it safely through the ring plane.
(The communication takes about 80 minutes. It is already calculated in the time shown.)
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0236 GMT (10:36 p.m. EDT Wed.)
MAIN ENGINE START!
0242 GMT (10:42 p.m. EDT Wed.)
The spacecraft is about 43,000 miles above Saturn's cloud tops as the engine burn continues, mission control says.
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0245 GMT (10:45 p.m. EDT Wed.)
Altitude is now 41,500 miles as Cassini speeds along at nearly 56,000 mph.
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0258 GMT (10:58 p.m. EDT Wed.)
Cassini is 35,000 miles above the cloud tops and traveling at 58,000 mph.
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0259 GMT (10:59 p.m. EDT Wed.)
From Earth's view, Cassini is now passing behind the F ring.
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0303 GMT (11:03 p.m. EDT Wed.)
Altitude over Saturn is 32,000 miles with a speed of over 59,000 mph.
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0403 GMT (12:03 a.m. EDT)
Cassini is making its closest approach to Saturn at an altitude of 12,800 miles above the planet's cloud tops. The spacecraft will never again get this close to the planet during its four-year tour of the Saturn system.
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0412 GMT (12:12 a.m. EDT)
MAIN ENGINE CUTOFF! Cassini has completed its braking maneuver as the spacecraft becomes the first man-made object to orbit the planet Saturn!
(The data indicates the burn ended about a minute early due to the good performance from Cassini's engine.)
eoe wrote:Well, we knew it wasn't named after Oleg Cassini, huh?
I never said I thought you did.
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