Cassini-Huygens is one of the most ambitious missions ever launched into space. Loaded with an array of powerful instruments and cameras, the spacecraft is capable of taking accurate measurements and detailed images in a variety of atmospheric conditions and light spectra.
The spacecraft was launched with two elements: the Cassini orbiter and the Huygens probe. Cassini-Huygens reached Saturn and its moons in July 2004, beaming home valuable data that has transformed our understand of the Saturnian system. Huygens entered the murky atmosphere of Titan, Saturn's biggest moon, and descended via parachute onto its surface - the most distant spacecraft landing to date.
In the news, on Wednesday, NASA's running-on-empty space probe Cassini will dive into the mysterious space between the cloud tops of Saturn and the inner edge of its majestic rings.
Over the next several months, Cassini will fly through this uncharted territory a total of 22 times. Along the way, it will collect new data that could answer important questions about Saturn’s interior, its mysterious storms, the age of its rings and the length of its day.
It’s a noble end to a long trip. Then, after the spacecraft’s final pass through this narrow region, it will hurl itself into Saturn’s atmosphere, where it will vaporize in a matter of minutes. Read more at Los Angeles Times.