Cassini flies past Titan
Posted: Wed, Dec 15, 2004, 7:45 AM ET (1245 GMT)
NASA's Cassini spacecraft made its second close approach to Titan this week, encountering more atmospheric drag than expected during the flyby. Cassini made its close approach to Titan at 7 pm EST Monday (0000 GMT Tuesday), coming within 1,200 km of the moon's surface. USA Today reported Wednesday that the spacecraft encountered more atmospheric drag than expected during the flyby, evidence that the moon's atmosphere extends farther outward than expected. As a result, mission controllers plan to raise the altitude of a planned February flyby from 950 to 1,030 km. Cassini is still on schedule to release the ESA-built Huygens probe late on Christmas Eve; Huygens will enter Titan's atmosphere on January 14.
NASA's Cassini spacecraft made its second close approach to Titan this week, encountering more atmospheric drag than expected during the flyby. Cassini made its close approach to Titan at 7 pm EST Monday (0000 GMT Tuesday), coming within 1,200 km of the moon's surface. USA Today reported Wednesday that the spacecraft encountered more atmospheric drag than expected during the flyby, evidence that the moon's atmosphere extends farther outward than expected. As a result, mission controllers plan to raise the altitude of a planned February flyby from 950 to 1,030 km. Cassini is still on schedule to release the ESA-built Huygens probe late on Christmas Eve; Huygens will enter Titan's atmosphere on January 14.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Space Force adds Rocket Lab and Stoke Space to NSSL contract
Posted: Sun, Mar 30 9:19 AM ET (1319 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Thursday, April 3
How a kid from Pemberton helped lead a landmark commercial Moon landing
Australian Broadcasting Corporation — 6:00 am ET (1000 GMT) Eutelsat Begins OneWeb Services for the Aviation Market
ViaSatellite — 5:59 am ET (0959 GMT) Sierra Space demonstrates technology for Space Force satellite program
BizWest — 5:58 am ET (0958 GMT) Debrief: Vulcan On Deck
Aviation Week — 5:56 am ET (0956 GMT) ULA Targets April 9 For First Batch Of Amazon Kuiper Satellites
Aviation Week — 5:56 am ET (0956 GMT) |
