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
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Wednesday, August 12
Firefly Now Targeting Next Alpha Flight By Year’s End
Aviation Week — 4:54 am ET (0854 GMT) 'Russian Starlink' Is Fast Becoming A Reality, There's Just One Problem For The Kremlin
Radio Free Europe — 4:52 am ET (0852 GMT) Firefly Aerospace Announces Extension of Multi-Launch Agreement with Lockheed Martin Through 2031
Firefly Aerospace — 4:50 am ET (0850 GMT) Firefly’s SciTec Awarded $94 Million U.S. Space Force Contract to Advance Ground-Based Radar Digitization Program
Firefly Aerospace — 4:49 am ET (0849 GMT) Registration Now Open for Spacepower Conference 2026
EINPresswire.com — 4:49 am ET (0849 GMT) |
