Huygens heads for Titan
The Cassini spacecraft successfully deploys Huygens, a probe destined to answer astronomers' questions about Saturn's haze-shrouded and enigmatic moon Titan.
By
Richard Talcott —
Published:
December 24, 2004December 24, 2004
At 9:08 P.M. EST December 24, NASA's Cassini spacecraft launched the European Space Agency's Huygens probe on the final leg of its 7-year, 2.25-billion-mile journey. Cassini has been orbiting Saturn for the past 6 months, sending back marvelous photographs and other data about the planet, its rings, and its family of moons. Until now, Huygens had yet to do anything. Its sole purpose is to dive through the thick, hazy atmosphere of Saturn's giant moon, Titan. If the mission is a success, scientists will get their first close look at this enigmatic moon's atmosphere and surface. |
 This artistic concept shows the Cassini spacecraft releasing the Huygens probe into the atmosphere of Saturn's largest moon, Titan.
Photo by NASA / JPL  This artistic concept shows the Cassini spacecraft releasing the Huygens probe into the atmosphere of Saturn's largest moon, Titan.
Photo by NASA / JPL
When Huygens reaches Titan, instruments will study the atmosphere's temperature, pressure, density, wind speed, and composition during an expected 2.5-hour-long descent. Shortly before Huygens reaches Titan's surface, a camera will photograph the area around the landing site. Huygens should hit the surface at about 10 miles per hour and could survive for half an hour before its battery dies. A suite of instruments will determine the physical properties of the surface — whether the probe lands on solid ground or in a hydrocarbon lake.
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