Topic: Death becums Cassini tomorrow at 4:55AM PST when it becomes one with Saturn
Anonymous A started this discussion 9 years ago #66,023
After two decades in space, NASA's Cassini spacecraft is nearing the end of its remarkable journey of exploration. Having expended almost every bit of the rocket propellant it carried to Saturn, operators are deliberately plunging Cassini into the planet to ensure Saturn's moons will remain pristine for future exploration—in particular, the ice-covered, ocean-bearing moon Enceladus, but also Titan, with its intriguing pre-biotic chemistry.On Sept. 15, 2017, the spacecraft will make its final approach to the giant planet Saturn. But this encounter will be like no other. This time, Cassini will dive into the planet's atmosphere, sending science data for as long as its small thrusters can keep the spacecraft's antenna pointed at Earth. Soon after, Cassini will burn up and disintegrate like a meteor.
To its very end, Cassini is a mission of thrilling exploration. Launched on Oct. 15, 1997, the mission entered orbit around Saturn on June 30, 2004 (PDT), carrying the European Huygens probe. After its four-year prime mission, Cassini's tour was extended twice. Its key discoveries have included the global ocean with indications of hydrothermal activity within Enceladus, and liquid methane seas on Titan.
And although the spacecraft may be gone after the finale, its enormous collection of data about Saturn—the giant planet itself, its magnetosphere, rings and moons—will continue to yield new discoveries for decades.
https://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/grand-finale/overview/
Anonymous A (OP) double-posted this 9 years ago, 3 minutes later[^] [v] #813,416
Moon Enceladus(Edited 32 seconds later.)
Big Daddy Derek !Uvm54ORbmo joined in and replied with this 9 years ago, 3 minutes later, 6 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #813,417
@OP
Is Saturn re: 15 minute dryve from thee?
Is Saturn re: 15 minute dryve from thee?
Anonymous C joined in and replied with this 9 years ago, 23 minutes later, 29 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #813,422
@OP
Hide
Wiki Loves Monuments: Photograph a monument, help Wikipedia and win!
Open main menu
Wikipedia Search
EditWatch this pageRead in another language
Cassini–Huygens
Cassini–Huygens (/ˌkəˈsini ˈhɔɪˌɡəns/), or more commonly, Cassini, was a Flagship-class unmanned robotic spacecraft which was planned, built, launched, and operated in collaboration between NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Italian Space Agency, and was sent to the planet Saturn.[4]
Cassini–Huygens
Cassini Saturn Orbit Insertion.jpg
Artist's concept of Cassini's orbit insertion around Saturn
Mission type Cassini: Saturn orbiter
Huygens: Titan lander
Operator Cassini: NASA / JPL
Huygens: ESA / ASI
COSPAR ID 1997-061A
SATCAT no. 25008
Website
NASA
ESA
ASI
Mission duration
Elapsed:
19 years, 334 days from launch
13 years, 75 days at Saturn
En route: 6 years, 261 days
Prime mission: 3 years
Extended missions:
Equinox: 2 years, 62 days
Solstice: 6 years, 205 days
Finale: 4 months, 24 days
Spacecraft properties
Manufacturer Cassini: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Huygens: Alcatel Alenia Space
Launch mass 5,712 kg (12,593 lb)[1]
Dry mass 2,523 kg (5,562 lb)[2]
Power ~885 watts (BOL)[2]
~670 watts (2010)[3]
~663 watts (EOM/2017)[2]
Start of mission
Launch date October 15, 1997, 08:43:00 UTC
Rocket Titan IV(401)B B-33
Launch site Cape Canaveral SLC-40
End of mission
Disposal Controlled Re-Entry into Saturn
Last contact September 15, 2017
Decay date September 15, 2017
Orbital parameters
Reference system Kronocentric
Flyby of Venus (Gravity assist)
Closest approach April 26, 1998
Distance 283 km (176 mi)
Flyby of Venus (Gravity assist)
Closest approach June 24, 1999
Distance 6,052 km (3,761 mi)
Flyby of Earth-Moon system (Gravity assist)
Closest approach August 18, 1999, 03:28 UTC
Distance 1,171 km (728 mi)
Flyby of 2685 Masursky (Incidental)
Closest approach January 23, 2000
Distance 1,600,000 km (990,000 mi)
Flyby of Jupiter (Gravity assist)
Closest approach December 30, 2000
Distance 9,852,924 km (6,122,323 mi)
Saturn orbiter
Orbital insertion July 1, 2004, 02:48 UTC
Titan lander
Spacecraft component Huygens
Landing date January 14, 2005
Flagship Program
← GalileoMars Science Laboratory →
Cassini was the fourth space probe to visit Saturn and the first to enter its orbit. It studied the planet and its many natural satellites since arriving there in 2004. [5]
Development of Cassini began in the 1980s. Its design included a Saturn orbiter (Cassini) and a lander (Huygens) for the moon Titan. The two spacecraft were named after astronomers Giovanni Cassini and Christiaan Huygens. The spacecraft was launched on October 15, 1997, aboard a Titan IVB/Centaur and entered orbit around Saturn on July 1, 2004, after an interplanetary voyage that included flybys of Earth, Venus, and Jupiter. On December 25, 2004, Huygens separated from the orbiter, and it landed on Saturn's moon Titan on January 14, 2005. It successfully returned data to Earth, using the orbiter as a relay. This was the first landing ever accomplished in the outer Solar System and the first landing on a moon other than our own. Cassini continued to study the Saturn system in the following years.
Due to a dwindling fuel supply, the spacecraft conducted the Grand Finale phase of its mission, where it performed a number of risky passes through the gaps between Saturn and Saturn's inner rings. The purpose of this phase was to maximize Cassini's scientific outcome before the spacecraft was intentionally destroyed by letting it dive into Saturn's atmosphere.[6] The planned deorbiting is necessary to mitigate the risk of the spacecraft eventually colliding with and contaminating one of Saturn's moons.[7][8] The spacecraft's descent into Saturn's atmosphere occurred on September 15, 2017.[9][10]
Overview
Naming
Objectives
History
Spacecraft design
Instruments
Plutonium power source
Telemetry
Huygens probe
Selected events and discoveries
Grand Finale and planned destruction
Glossary
See also
References
Further reading
External links
Last edited 2 hours ago by an anonymous user
RELATED ARTICLES
Timeline of Cassini–Huygens
Exploration of Saturn
Titan Saturn System Mission
Wikipedia
Content is available under CC BY-SA 3.0 unless otherwise noted.
Terms of UsePrivacyDesktop
Wiki Loves Monuments: Photograph a monument, help Wikipedia and win!
Open main menu
Wikipedia Search
EditWatch this pageRead in another language
Cassini–Huygens
Cassini–Huygens (/ˌkəˈsini ˈhɔɪˌɡəns/), or more commonly, Cassini, was a Flagship-class unmanned robotic spacecraft which was planned, built, launched, and operated in collaboration between NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Italian Space Agency, and was sent to the planet Saturn.[4]
Cassini–Huygens
Cassini Saturn Orbit Insertion.jpg
Artist's concept of Cassini's orbit insertion around Saturn
Mission type Cassini: Saturn orbiter
Huygens: Titan lander
Operator Cassini: NASA / JPL
Huygens: ESA / ASI
COSPAR ID 1997-061A
SATCAT no. 25008
Website
NASA
ESA
ASI
Mission duration
Elapsed:
19 years, 334 days from launch
13 years, 75 days at Saturn
En route: 6 years, 261 days
Prime mission: 3 years
Extended missions:
Equinox: 2 years, 62 days
Solstice: 6 years, 205 days
Finale: 4 months, 24 days
Spacecraft properties
Manufacturer Cassini: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Huygens: Alcatel Alenia Space
Launch mass 5,712 kg (12,593 lb)[1]
Dry mass 2,523 kg (5,562 lb)[2]
Power ~885 watts (BOL)[2]
~670 watts (2010)[3]
~663 watts (EOM/2017)[2]
Start of mission
Launch date October 15, 1997, 08:43:00 UTC
Rocket Titan IV(401)B B-33
Launch site Cape Canaveral SLC-40
End of mission
Disposal Controlled Re-Entry into Saturn
Last contact September 15, 2017
Decay date September 15, 2017
Orbital parameters
Reference system Kronocentric
Flyby of Venus (Gravity assist)
Closest approach April 26, 1998
Distance 283 km (176 mi)
Flyby of Venus (Gravity assist)
Closest approach June 24, 1999
Distance 6,052 km (3,761 mi)
Flyby of Earth-Moon system (Gravity assist)
Closest approach August 18, 1999, 03:28 UTC
Distance 1,171 km (728 mi)
Flyby of 2685 Masursky (Incidental)
Closest approach January 23, 2000
Distance 1,600,000 km (990,000 mi)
Flyby of Jupiter (Gravity assist)
Closest approach December 30, 2000
Distance 9,852,924 km (6,122,323 mi)
Saturn orbiter
Orbital insertion July 1, 2004, 02:48 UTC
Titan lander
Spacecraft component Huygens
Landing date January 14, 2005
Flagship Program
← GalileoMars Science Laboratory →
Cassini was the fourth space probe to visit Saturn and the first to enter its orbit. It studied the planet and its many natural satellites since arriving there in 2004. [5]
Development of Cassini began in the 1980s. Its design included a Saturn orbiter (Cassini) and a lander (Huygens) for the moon Titan. The two spacecraft were named after astronomers Giovanni Cassini and Christiaan Huygens. The spacecraft was launched on October 15, 1997, aboard a Titan IVB/Centaur and entered orbit around Saturn on July 1, 2004, after an interplanetary voyage that included flybys of Earth, Venus, and Jupiter. On December 25, 2004, Huygens separated from the orbiter, and it landed on Saturn's moon Titan on January 14, 2005. It successfully returned data to Earth, using the orbiter as a relay. This was the first landing ever accomplished in the outer Solar System and the first landing on a moon other than our own. Cassini continued to study the Saturn system in the following years.
Due to a dwindling fuel supply, the spacecraft conducted the Grand Finale phase of its mission, where it performed a number of risky passes through the gaps between Saturn and Saturn's inner rings. The purpose of this phase was to maximize Cassini's scientific outcome before the spacecraft was intentionally destroyed by letting it dive into Saturn's atmosphere.[6] The planned deorbiting is necessary to mitigate the risk of the spacecraft eventually colliding with and contaminating one of Saturn's moons.[7][8] The spacecraft's descent into Saturn's atmosphere occurred on September 15, 2017.[9][10]
Overview
Naming
Objectives
History
Spacecraft design
Instruments
Plutonium power source
Telemetry
Huygens probe
Selected events and discoveries
Grand Finale and planned destruction
Glossary
See also
References
Further reading
External links
Last edited 2 hours ago by an anonymous user
RELATED ARTICLES
Timeline of Cassini–Huygens
Exploration of Saturn
Titan Saturn System Mission
Wikipedia
Content is available under CC BY-SA 3.0 unless otherwise noted.
Terms of UsePrivacyDesktop
Anonymous D joined in and replied with this 9 years ago, 3 hours later, 3 hours after the original post[^] [v] #813,498
> Having expended almost every bit of the rocket propellant it carried to Saturn, operators are deliberately plunging Cassini into the planet.RIP in peace