When was cassini made

The orbiter alone weighed kilograms, and the total mass of the Huygens probe was kilograms, including payload 49 kilograms and probe support equipment on the orbiter 30 kilograms.

Three Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators RTGs provided power for the spacecraft, including the instruments, computers, radio transmitters, attitude thrusters and reaction wheels.

You have already liked this page, you can only like it once! Two elements comprised the spacecraft: the Cassini orbiter and the Huygens probe. Cassini-Huygens passing through the gap in the rings Communications The Cassini-Huygens spacecraft communicated with Earth through its antenna subsystem, consisting of one high-gain antenna and two low-gain antennas.

Technicians fit Huygens to Cassini before starting tests Dimensions The Cassini spacecraft stood more than 6. The launch mass of Cassini-Huygens was 5. Cassini-Huygens Cassini was the first spacecraft ever to orbit Saturn, thanks to a complex maneuver that allowed it to slip through the giant planet's rings and become captured by the planet's gravity. History Launched in October , Cassini picked up speed by using the gravity of other planets, swinging by Venus twice, then Earth, then Jupiter.

A map of Cassini's trip through the solar system. While Cassini was at Saturn, it collected an immense amount of measurements, including: Examining the gravitational field of Saturn, its rings and moons using radio waves Taking photos in visible, near-ultraviolet UV and near-infrared IR light Mapping the surface of Titan using radar Studying particles around Saturn and its moons to learn about their atmospheres and ionospheres Determining the structure and chemical composition of surfaces and atmospheres of Saturn, its moons and rings Recording temperatures from the rings, atmospheres and surfaces of Saturn and its moons Studying ice and dust grains in the Saturn system Investigating plasma waves and how they interact with Saturn's magnetic field Discovering how the solar wind interacts with Saturn's magnetosphere Studying Saturn's magnetic field and how it interacts with Saturn's rings, moons and solar wind Measuring ultraviolet energy from atmospheres, surfaces and rings.

Artist's concept of Huygens on the surface of Titan, Saturn's largest moon. The Huygens experiments allowed the probe to: Take pictures of Titan's atmosphere and surface Measure particle temperatures Examine the physical properties, chemical composition and structure of Titan's atmosphere Study clouds, winds and particles in Titan's atmosphere Explore the physical properties of the surface of Titan.

Artist's concept of Cassini releasing the Huygens probe. The Science Center's Cassini Spacecraft. Stay in Contact. Newsletter Signup. Email Address. First name. More about Elizabeth "Zibi" Turtle. Having a dream is a must. Having a plan is an excellent idea, but you also have to be willing to jump at unexpected opportunities.

They require as much discipline as an athlete working to be a football player, or a musician attempting to land a recording contract.

More about Claudia Alexander I love to explore new worlds, whether in our solar system, or here on Earth. More about Catherine Neish.

Study lots of math. Math is the language of science. I never had this overwhelming fascination with space — rather, I just slowly gravitated toward it. More about Brent Buffington. More about Albert "Joey" Jefferson. Most of my heroes have succeeded against the odds in some way. Graphics Illustrations, artwork and infographics that reveal the inner workings of the Cassini mission. Hall of Fame Cassini has returned thousands of great images.

These are the best of the best. Videos Data-driven science visualizations and captivating digital animations. JPL's lucky peanuts are an unofficial tradition at big mission events. Voyager 2 made its closest approach to Saturn on Aug. The mission revealed a planet so phenomenal scientists had to go back. New research on nine craters on Saturn's largest moon Titan provides details about how weathering affects the surface — and what lies beneath. Cassini mission data provides strong evidence that the northern hemisphere of the moon has been resurfaced with ice from its interior.

Scientists have developed a new prediction of the shape of the bubble surrounding our solar system. Uncovering Our Solar System's Shape.

Planetary scientists have learned something significant: More than a quarter of the exoplanets they studied could be ocean worlds.

Are Ocean Planets Common? Using data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft, scientists found Titan drifting away from Saturn a hundred times faster than previously understood. The first map showing the global geology of Saturn's largest moon, Titan, has been completed and fully reveals a dynamic world of dunes, lakes, plains, craters and other terrains. Cassini scientists have found the ingredients for amino acids condensed onto ice grains emitted by Saturn's sixth-largest moon.

Images collected during Cassini's superclose orbits in are giving scientists new insight into the complex workings of the rings.