Saturn Craft Approaches Ringed Planet After 7 Years in Space

Bloomberg ^ | 6/3/2004 | Alex Morales

[Pyro7480]

June 3 (Bloomberg) -- The Cassini-Huygens spacecraft, a European-U.S. project, is approaching Saturn after a journey of almost seven years and on July 1 is scheduled to become the first manmade object to orbit the ringed planet.

The Cassini orbiter and Huygens probe were launched from Florida's Cape Canaveral on Oct. 15, 1997. The orbiter will study Saturn, its 31 moons, rings and magnetic environment. The probe will detach from Cassini in six months to descend to one of the moons. For scientists at London's Imperial College, the insertion of the craft into orbit represents ``the most critical moment of the mission,'' according to an e-mailed statement.

[Pyro7480]

I can't wait to see the pics as Cassini goes through the rings!

[Pyro7480]

Ping

[martin_fierro]

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[Centurion2000]

bump for later

[Question_Assumptions]

I thought that the Voyager probes showed that the "gap" in the rings isn't really a "gap" but has quite a bit of material in it.

[Textide]

Rings of Saturn

                         Radius   Radius/        Optical       Albedo     Thickness    Surf. Density   Eccentricity     
                          (km)     Eq. radius     Depth                      (m)         (g/cm2)
   Saturn Equator        60,268      1.000                                                                  
   D inner edge          66,900      1.110                                                
   D outer edge          74,510      1.236                                          
   C inner edge          74,658      1.239     0.05 - 0.10   0.12 - 0.30      5           1.4 - 5                                                  
   Titan ringlet         77,871      1.292                                                   17          0.00026                                                        
   Maxwell gap/ringlet   87,491      1.452                                                   17          0.00034                                 
   C outer edge          92,000      1.527         0.12          0.2          5             2 - 7
   B inner edge          92,000      1.527      0.4 - 2.5     0.4 - 0.6     5 - 10         20 - 100                                                                
   B outer edge         117,580      1.951         1.8                                                
   Cassini division                            0.05 - 0.15    0.2 - 0.4      20            18 - 20                                                                
   A inner edge         122,170      2.027      0.4 - 1.0     0.4 - 0.6    10 - 30         30 - 40                                                        
   Encke gap            133,589      2.216                                                          
   Keeler gap           136,530      2.265   
   A outer edge         136,775      2.269         0.6        0.4 - 0.6    10 - 30         20 - 30                                                       
   F ring center        140,180      2.326         0.1           0.6                                     0.0026                                                         
   G inner edge         170,000      2.82       1.0 x 10-6                    105                                                 
   G outer edge         175,000      2.90
   E inner edge         181,000      3          1.5 x 10-5                    107                                                
   E outer edge         483,000      8                                        107      

Rings, ringlets and gaps radially thinner than 1000 km are listed by center radius. 

Can't wait for the ring transition either!

[RightWhale]

The engine will burn up, allowing Saturn to pull the two-part craft, about the height of a two-story building, into orbit.

The engine will burn up?

[Pyro7480]

That is quite true. Voyager took this picture which demonstrates that.

[Pyro7480]

The engine will burn up?

The story was written in London, so it could be a variation with British English.

[RightWingAtheist]

They should name the craft's lens Spinoza :)

[bmwcyle]

[Joe Hadenuf]

LOL, I think they meant engine burn....

[ClearCase_guy]

And there's a 7-year-old trasnmitter in the back saying:

"Are we there yet?"
"Are we there yet?"
"Are we there yet?"
"Are we there yet?"
"Are we there yet?"
"Are we there yet?"
"Are we there yet?"

[kidd]

...The X indicates the point where Cassini will pierce the ring plane on June 30, 2004, going from south to north of the ring plane, 33 minutes before the main engine fires to begin orbital insertion. The indicated point is between the narrow F-ring on the left and Saturn's tenuous G-ring which is too faint to be seen in this exposure....

[bmwcyle]

[Question_Assumptions]

So what "gap" is the probe going to fly through?

[Pyro7480]

Huh? There are no rings there.

[bmwcyle]

[StriperSniper]

BTTT

[zeugma]

"Are we there yet?"
"Are we there yet?"

You, sir, owe me a new monitor.