CASSINI-HUYGENS SPACECRAFT ARRIVES IN SATURN SPACE, THE

Flight Journal, Oct 2004 by Pace, Steve

AFTER ITS SUCCESSFUL launch at 4:43 a.m. EDT on October 15, 1997, from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, the Cassini spacecraft and Huygens probe began its near seven-year voyage to Saturn-the second largest and the sixth planet from the sun.

The gaseous planet, with its known 31 moons, will at last unveil some of its long-held secrets. The Cassini spacecraft will use its cameras and vast array of scientific instruments to view and analyze it, while the Huygens probe parachutes to a soft landing on Titan-Saturn's largest moon.

On June 11, 2004, the Cassini spacecraft flew by Saturn moon Phoebe to initiate its encounter with the gaseous giant planet. Phoebe is the farthest moon that orbits Saturn, and the Cassini spacecraft flew above it at an altitude of 1,243 miles (2,000km), taking photographs and instrument readings. On June 30 at 10:30 p.m. EDT, the Cassini spacecraft fired its main engine for 96 minutes to slow down enough to make the Saturn Orbit Insertion and join with Saturn's vast planetary system, where it began its long-planned series of 76 orbits around Saturn while closely investigating six of its 31 moons. It will take some four years to complete the 76 orbits, during which seven of Saturn's moons will be visited 52 times.

On board the Cassini spacecraft is the 703-pound (319kg) Huygens probe, which on January 14, 2005, is to enter into the atmosphere of Titan. The probe is scheduled to separate from the Cassini spacecraft on December 24, 2004, and coast toward the moon and make a parachute landing. It will make an intense 2.5-hour study of the moon and send its data to the Cassini spacecraft, which will transmit it to Earth.

-Steve Pace