Cassini mission

Two important substances have so far not been found on Titan the noble gas argon and water. The analysis of the results of the successful Cassini mission may soon shed light on this mystery. 

The extent of land contaminated with more than 10 kBq m is about 5000 km. Other satellites with isotope generators or with a nuclear reactor, designed with lower strength characteristics than the one of the Cassini mission, could originate wider consequences, for example fragments of the reactor of the satellite Cosmos 954, which fell in Northern Canada in 1978, were found over more than 100000 km. No health consequences were present because of the low population density. 

Schock A et al (1999) Design and analysis of RTGs for GRAF and cassini missions. In Proceedings of the 8th Symposium on space nuclear power systems, Pt. 2, Albuquerque NM, 938-953... 

Titan is both like and unlike Earth. The most striking likenesses can be seen in pictures taken by the Huygens probe in 2005. Huygens was launched as part of the Cassini mission to explore Saturn. Actually, it was more dropped than launched. As it fell through Titan s atmosphere, the clouds parted and it sent back the first pictures of the moon s surface. An online video titled Huygens Titan Descent Movie shows what Huygens saw. 

In the quest to explore space and find signs for extraferresfial life, the Cassini mission was launched in 1997 to reach Saturn in 2004. The spacecraft has been orbiting this planet ever since, exploring its surroundings, including its moons. In the photo shown. Earth is an invisible spec in the top left quadrant. 

Fig. 5.8.11 Optical layout of the Composite Infrared Spectrometer, flown on the Cassini mission to Saturn (Kunde et al, 1996).

Optical design of the Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) for the Cassini Mission. In Space Astronomical Telescopes and Instruments II, SPIE Proceedings, 1945, 100-11, Orlando, FL. 

BARNEY CONRATH was affiliated to the Goddard Space Flight Center from 1960 until 1995 and is currently a visiting faculty member in the Cornell University Center for Radiophysics and Space Research. His research interests include the study of the thermal structure, composition, and d5mamics of planetary atmospheres. He has participated in spacecraft missions to the Earth, Mars, and the outer planets, and is currently a member of the infrared spectrometer teams on the Mars Global Surveyor and Cassini missions. 

A review about what was known about Titan at the time of the launch of the Cassini missions was given by Taylor and Coustenis, 1998 [332]. 

This satellite is studied by the Cassini mission and in 2008 it was found that it is surrounded by a ring system. ... 

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