Research Paper on Cassini Spacecraft and Huygen's Probe

Ben Mockalis

Cassini Spacecraft and Huygen's Probe

March 30th 2014

The history of the Cassini spacecraft and Huygens probe starts on October 15, 1997. On this day the Cassini spacecraft and European Space Huygens’s probe launched into space. The probe was named after the Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens. He discovered Titan, Saturn’s largest Moon. An Italian astronomer Jean-Dominique Cassini discovered the Saturn satellites Iapetus, Rhea, Tethys and Dione. Even though the launch was supposed to happen a few days earlier but was delayed due to high winds. NASA used a Titan IV-B/ Centaur launch vehicle from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The launcher consisted of a two-stage liquid propellant booster rocket, two strap-on solid rocket motors, an upper (centaur) and payload fairing.

Launch of Titan IV-B with Cassini and Huygens Probe

After lift off the Cassini spacecraft used the gravity of other planets Cassini went by Venus twice, onto Earth’s Orbit, and on to Jupiter’s gravitational pull and then continued onto Saturn. The spacecraft and probe arrived at Saturn on July 1, 2004. On December 24, 2004 after arriving to Saturn the probe detached from the spacecraft and embarked on a journey to Saturn’s moon Titan. The probe arrived at Titan on January 14, 2005 The Huygens probe landed on Titan January 14, 2005. The original mission was completed on June 2008.

Cassini’s Trajectory path (Courtesy of NASA)

Even though the original mission was completed there have been two extended missions added onto Cassini’s job. The First add-on mission was called the Cassini Equinox Mission. This mission started on July 2008. This mission was completed September 2010. The Second extended mission is called the Cassini Solstice Mission, which started September 2010 is still on going and will be completed April 2017.

The Cassini spacecraft includes multiple high-tech instruments and cameras. These instruments help scientists all...