Cassini mission extended
Posted: Wed, Apr 16, 2008, 7:52 AM ET (1152 GMT)
NASA announced Tuesday that it has extended the Cassini mission to Saturn by two years, allowing dozens of additional flybys of several of the planet's exotic moons. The four-year primary mission of the spacecraft was set to end in July 2008, but with the spacecraft still in good health the space agency decided to extend the mission two more years. The extension covers 26 additional flybys of Titan, the planet's largest moon, as well as several of Enceladus and three other moons; studies of the planet itself, its rings, and magnetosphere are also planned for the extended mission. Mission managers said that three instruments have "minor ailments" but continue to return science, and that the spacecraft will have enough propellant at the end of this extended mission to possibly permit yet another extension.
NASA announced Tuesday that it has extended the Cassini mission to Saturn by two years, allowing dozens of additional flybys of several of the planet's exotic moons. The four-year primary mission of the spacecraft was set to end in July 2008, but with the spacecraft still in good health the space agency decided to extend the mission two more years. The extension covers 26 additional flybys of Titan, the planet's largest moon, as well as several of Enceladus and three other moons; studies of the planet itself, its rings, and magnetosphere are also planned for the extended mission. Mission managers said that three instruments have "minor ailments" but continue to return science, and that the spacecraft will have enough propellant at the end of this extended mission to possibly permit yet another extension.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Thursday, March 18
Ball Aerospace Integration of VIIRS Instrument for NPP Complete
PR Newswire — 8:27 am ET (1227 GMT) Editorial: Lobbying for space programs
Huntsville Times — 8:27 am ET (1227 GMT) U.S.-Russian duo returns to Earth from space station
AP — 8:23 am ET (1223 GMT) U.S.-Russian duo returns to Earth from space station
Reuters — 8:23 am ET (1223 GMT) Soyuz Landing Caps Milestone Space Station Mission
NASA — 8:23 am ET (1223 GMT) |