Cassini-Hyugens arrives at Saturn !

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harlequin2902
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Cassini-Hyugens arrives at Saturn !

Post by harlequin2902 »

For the benefit of those who may not be aware :

Cassini-Hyugens Mission to Saturn (and Titan)

Launched in 1997, the Cassini spacecraft (bearing the Hyugens probe that is scheduled to descend into Titan in Jan 2005) finally entered Saturn's orbit just a few days ago after a long, cold and lonely 7 year journey :D

Full details and future updates can be accessed on NASA's dedicated mission webpage here :

http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.cfm


Cheers,
Samuel Ng
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Airconvent
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Post by Airconvent »

I've been updating myself via space.com and bbc.com's avantgo channel daily. I strongly recommend these 2 avantgo channels as bbc and space.com has very frequent (practically daily) news. for bbc, look under the SCI (science) section.

rich
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QuantumGravity
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Post by QuantumGravity »

I'm updating myself through NASA's newsletters as they are probably the best and lastest 'cause it's NASA after all.Currently, the images produced by the spacecraft are quite crappy and nothing spectacular... I'm just waiting for the probe to be release into Titan.
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weixing
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Post by weixing »

Hi,
Yes... the image is crappy for public... but it is very spectacular and valuable to scientists.

Anyway, don't expect too much from the probe... Just hope that it will survive long enough to send back something useful.

Have a nice day.
Yang Weixing
:mrgreen: "The universe is composed mainly of hydrogen and ignorance." :mrgreen:
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Airconvent
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Post by Airconvent »

This is an amazing piece of hardware. Imagine able to navigate between Saturn's rings! Titan is a bonus for the trip but I'm thinking if this probe would have a chance to accelerate even faster than Pioneer and Voyager when it leaves the solar system. Afterall, it has a nuclear reactor with half life of 500 years and with new 2000s era thermicouple, should be able to generate power much longer than its 2 predecessors...maybe a chance to make it to the edge of our solar system and still send back signals (about 70 AU out, I think)....

rich
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weixing
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Post by weixing »

Hi,
Actually, Voyager 1 is now at 90 AU and is escaping the solar system at a speed of about 3.6 AU per year... :D They are still communicating with NASA and expect to "live" till 2020.

Have a nice day.
Yang Weixing
:mrgreen: "The universe is composed mainly of hydrogen and ignorance." :mrgreen:
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