The Cassini-Huygens Saturn mission is an international effort to explore, primarily, the Saturnine system.  It consists of scientists from NASA, ESA, and ASI; contributions and assistance from 17 countries; providing jobs for more than 5,000 people in 33 states.  It cost about $3.26 billion (US), with the United States contributing about 80% of the necessary funding.  The individual “tax burden per person” in the US would have been about $9.00 total; or about 70 cents per person/per year since launch.  Just thought I’d mention that.

NASA/ESA/ESI/JPL Cassini assembly

On October 15, 1997, Cassini-Huygens was launched atop a Titan IV/B/Centaur rocket.  The spacecraft itself (minus rockets) consists of two main components; the orbiter (Cassini), and the lander (Huygens).  After a long interplanetary voyage, Cassini entered orbit around Saturn July 1st, 2004.  It is the 4th space probe to reach Saturn, and the first to orbit.  On December 25th the Huygens probe detached from the orbiter, en route to Saturn’s moon Titan, which it reached January 14th, 2005.  Huygens was the first landing ever made in the outer solar system.

The Cassini mission has been extended twice already, expected to continue operations until 2017.  It has seven main mission objectives:

1. Determine the three-dimensional structure and dynamic behavior of the rings of Saturn
2. Determine the composition of the satellite surfaces and the geological history of each object
3. Determine the nature and origin of the dark material on Iapetus’s leading hemisphere
4. Measure the three-dimensional structure and dynamic behavior of the magnetosphere
5. Study the dynamic behavior of Saturn’s atmosphere at cloud level
6. Study the time variability of Titan’s clouds and hazes
7. Characterize Titan’s surface on a regional scale

Cassini packs a dizzying array of instruments.  It is so well equipped, it’s one of the largest and most massive interplanetary craft ever built, weighing in at over 12,000 lbs at launch.  It’s currently powered by three radioisotope thermoelectric generators.  It’s too far from the sun for solar power at our current level of technology.

Cassini Saturn eclipse - enlarge this image and check in the ring system at about 10:00 (just outside the brightest section of the rings) -- that tiny blue speck is the Earth

When I first started writing this post, I had the bright idea of listing all the discoveries and cool science for which Cassini is responsible, but I quickly realized I don’t have the time to write another book just now.  It’s massive, kids.  Simply massive.  More information is coming in every day, and there is another Titan fly-by scheduled for very early TOMORROW!  You will definitely want to be on-hand for that one.

Take a few minutes to look over the Cassini Mission website for the cool science and gorgeous images.  You can sign up at the site for automatic email updates, too.

Saturn has always held our attention for its beauty and mystery at a distance.  Now, we find it’s even more beautiful and mysterious up close.  Not many things in life can make that claim.