Cassini–Huygens : The First 4 Years (12 Pix)

[güttsfükk]

Cassini–Huygens is a joint NASA/ESA/ASI robotic spacecraft mission currently studying the planet Saturn and its many natural satellites. The spacecraft consists of two main elements: the NASA-designed and -constructed Cassini orbiter, named for the Italian-French astronomer Giovanni Domenico Cassini, and the ESA-developed Huygens probe, named for the Dutch astronomer, mathematician and physicist Christiaan Huygens. The complete Cassini space probe was launched on October 15, 1997, and after a long interplanetary voyage, it entered into orbit around Saturn on July 1, 2004. On December 25, 2004, the Huygens probe was separated from the orbiter at approximately 02:00 UTC. Then, it reached Saturn's moon Titan on January 14, 2005, when it made a descent into Titan's atmosphere, and downwards to the surface, radioing scientific information back to the Earth by telemetry. On April 18, 2008, NASA announced a two-year extension of the funding for ground operations of this mission, at which point it was renamed to Cassini Equinox Mission. This was again extended in February 2010 and the mission may potentially continue until 2017. Cassini is the first space probe to orbit the planet Saturn and the fourth one to visit Saturn.

below are some pix from the first 4 years.

The Sun is on the opposite side, so all of Saturn is backlit.

[güttsfükk]

Swirls in Saturn's cloud-tops.

[güttsfükk]

The surface of Saturn's moon Dione, up close

[güttsfükk]

Tiny moon Janus, seen before Saturn's rings, with massive moon Titan beyond

[güttsfükk]

Saturn's moon Rhea, with Izanagi Crater at center.

[güttsfükk]

Saturn's horizon seen through its thin rings

[güttsfükk]

Small moon Mimas, seen against Saturn's horizon.

[güttsfükk]

A "knot", or small disturbance in one of Saturn's outer rings.

[güttsfükk]

Closeup of small, cratered moon Hyperion.

[güttsfükk]

Saturn's moon Enceladus, seen just in front of Saturn.