| Artists impression of the Huygens probe descending under parachute
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| LAUNCH DATE: |
15-Oct-1997 08:43 UT
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| MISSION END: | Huygens Probe - 14 January 2005
Cassini Orbiter - September 2017 (Solstice Mission) |
| LAUNCH VEHICLE: | Titan-IVB/Centaur |
| LAUNCH MASS: | 6000 kg |
| MISSION PHASE: |
Huygens - Mission Completed 14 January 2005
Cassini - Solstice Mission (ongoing) |
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To reach Saturn, Cassini-Huygens used a series of gravity-assist manoeuvres, with swing-bys from Venus (2x), Earth and Jupiter.
On 1 July 2004 the spacecraft entered into orbit around Saturn after being captured by the planet's gravity. |
The Huygens probe has successfully landed on Saturn's largest moon Titan. At around 11:30 UTC 14 January 2005 the probe touched down on the surface of this distant world. This event makes it the only landing to take place in the outer Solar System and the furthest from Earth. |
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The Cassini-Huygens mission is a NASA/ESA/ASI mission to explore the Saturnian system. The ESA component consists largely of the Huygens probe, which entered the atmosphere of Saturn's largest moon, Titan, and descended under parachute down to the surface. The Cassini spacecraft is undertaking an extensive exploration of the Saturnian system with its rings and many satellites. Cassini completed its initial four-year mission to explore the Saturn System in June 2008 and the first extended mission, called the 'Cassini Equinox Mission', in September 2010. A second extended mission, called the 'Cassini Solstice Mission' will continue until September 2017; this will allow scientists to study the Saturnian system until the summer solstice is passed in May 2017. By the time this new extension is completed the Cassini mission will have covered (since it arrived in the system) one half of a Saturnian year. |
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