The planet Saturn is famous for its rings around the planet, for centuries scientists and astronomers around the world have been observing and researching the planet.
Until finally NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) launched a research mission to the planet Saturn by sending a spacecraft directly to the planet. The spacecraft on a mission to Saturn is Cassini-Huygens.
Cassini-Huygens went on a mission to Saturn for several years and managed to save a series of interesting facts. Curious about the facts? Let’s see the following review!
1. Launched with the aim of exploring the planet Saturn and beyond
In the 80s, NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) conducted a joint study of a potential mission to the planet Saturn. Until the early 90s, the program began to be realized. In addition to efforts to strengthen the relationship between NASA and ESA which had been strained before.
The specific objectives of the Cassini-Huygens mission are to study the dynamic behavior of Saturn’s atmosphere, to reveal and detect the three-dimensional structure of Saturn’s rings, to explore the surface and geographic composition of the moons surrounding Saturn, and to measure and study Saturn’s magnetosphere.
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2. His name is taken from two scientists
Cassini and Huygens (livescience.com)–
The name Cassini-Huygens is basically taken from the names of two famous European scientists and astronomers. The orbiter is named in honor of an Italian astronomer named Giovanni Domenco Cassini who was credited with discovering Saturn’s rings and four of Saturn’s moons.
While the Huygens probe is named after a 17th century Dutch scientist and astronomer, Christiaan Huygens, who was credited with discovering the moon of Saturn’s most famous planet, Titan.
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3. Consists of two rides put together
Cassini and Huygens Rides (medium.com/saseprints)–
As mentioned earlier, Cassini-Huygens are two separate probes put together. Cassini was commissioned as a Saturn orbiter while Huygens served as a ground research vehicle used for research and exploration of Titan. Both rides have a maximum weight of up to 5,712 kg.
The Cassini spacecraft is produced by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) while the Huygens is produced by Aerospatiale. Meanwhile, NASA is the operator of the Cassini probe and ESA is the operator of the Huygens spacecraft.
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4. Go on a long journey by passing several planets and space objects
Cassini-Huygens itinerary (alsadeemastronomy.ae)–
The Cassini-Huygens launch was carried out on 15 October 1997 aboard a Titan IV rocket from the Cape Canaveral launch facility. After leaving Earth, a few months later on April 26, 1998, Cassini-Huygens made a gravitational-assisted fly-by from Venus, and flew past with the help of Earth’s gravity in 1999.
In early 2000, Cassini-Huygens crossed the asteroid 2685 Masursky and managed to photograph it. Then in December 2000 Cassini-Huygens reached Jupiter and photographed the planet and some of its moons. Until finally Cassini managed to orbit Saturn in 2004.
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5. Huygens spacecraft lands on Titan and part ways with Cassini
Huygens vehicle lands on Titan (popularmechanics.com)–
On December 25, 2004, the Cassini and Huygens spacecraft began to separate. The Huygens spacecraft was released for its landing mission on Titan, which is Saturn’s largest moon. Huygens began to enter Titan’s atmosphere in January 2005 and successfully landed by parachute system on January 14.
Upon landing on Titan’s surface, Huygens in a short time delivered about 350 images. However, there was an error in the transmission and software that caused the 350 images to be lost. So that only 350 images were successfully sent from the planned 700 images.
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6. Explore Titan
Huygens probe explores Titan (nasa.gov)–
The Huygens spacecraft successfully landed on Titan’s surface 2 hours after entering the atmosphere. Huygens landed at coordinates 10,573°S 192,335°W near the region known as Adiri. The landing site of Huygens indicated that there were scattered ice gravel and covered by a thin mist of methane gas.
Aerial imaging from Huygens also consistently reveals the presence of liquids. In addition, the probe has succeeded in detecting the presence of a lake containing liquid hydrocarbons on Titan. Until finally confirmed again by Cassini in 2006.
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7. Explore Saturn to discover new facts
Cassini explores Saturn (nasa.gov)–
Meanwhile, Cassini continues its main mission of exploring and investigating the planet Saturn and Saturn’s other moons. In May 2005 until the next four months, Cassini began measuring the size distribution of particles in Saturn’s rings and their structure as well as exploring Saturn’s atmosphere, and was able to reveal when Saturn’s rings formed 10 to 100 million years ago.
Previously in 2004 Cassini was recorded to have succeeded in measuring the rotation period of Saturn which is 10 hours, 33 minutes, 38 seconds. Then, in November 2006 scientists managed to detect a storm on Saturn that occurred again in 2010 with a larger scale.
Until 2010, Cassini had carried out missions in Saturn’s orbit and successfully passed several Saturnian moons such as Enceladus, Dione, Phoebe, Rhea, and Helene. Plus, Cassini has previously discovered several Saturnian moons such as Methone, Pallene, and Polyceudes in 2004.
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8. Retired and exterminated on Saturn
https://www.youtube.com/embed/xrGAQCq9BMU
In 2010, NASA extended its Cassini mission and resumed exploration and observations of Saturn for the next seven years. In the years that followed, 2012 and 2016 Cassini observed the hexagonal cloud pattern at Saturn’s poles, and photographed Saturn several times including in 2013 during The Day the Earth Smiled, a day where Cassini was able to photograph both Saturn and Earth and the Moon simultaneously.
Until the time came, Cassini carried out The Grand Finale, namely the vehicle was deliberately dropped into the atmosphere of Saturn. On September 15, 2017, Cassini ended nearly 20 years of Saturn’s exploration mission.
This is also done with the intention of reducing the impact of nuclear fuel pollution from Cassini that can be caused to Saturn’s moons which have the potential to live like Titan.
Well, that’s a fact from the Cassini Huygens spacecraft. Hopefully with this knowledge we will be enthusiastic in learning so that we can unravel the unsolved mysteries of the universe.
Also Read: 5 Things That Happened to Humans in Space, Horrible!
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