The U.S. space agency NASA announced that the Cassini mission extended to 2017. year. For this purpose, the new budget provided $ 60 million a year to craft the next seven years carried out the study Saturn and its satellites, particularly Titan and Enceladus.
The mission was launched in October 1997. The joint project between the American and European Space Agency.
The Cassini spacecraft around Saturn
The full name of the Cassini-Huygens is a result of symbiosis of two spacecrafts. Great work by the Cassini orbiter and a smaller American Idol Huygens (who 2004th landed on Titan) of European engineer.
Although the initial operational life of the project is planned by 2008. He was the exception because of the importance and value of the collected scientific data extended to 2010. order now deservedly won seven "prize" years. The spacecraft and its 12 scientific instruments are in good condition and woe with the occasional program that will consider modifications to fifteen years old spacecraft to withstand the demands of the mission planner, said Jim Green, director of NASA's "Planetary Science Division" in Washington. This extension gives us the opportunity to explore events and changes on the planet and the delicate satellites during local summer and winter period. On Saturn's world actually know very little. In the next few years does not plan new missions to the planets, and the Lord of the Rings Cassini is our great hope, said Bob Pappalardo, Cassini scientist from the research team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. "So much we have yet to discover and understand and around Saturn."
Cassini "odometer" already has billions of kilometers long, more than 200,000 shots on the job is now over 125 Earth orbits around Saturn and 67 close passes by the Titans and eight near Enceladus.
Saturn as seen by Cassini ..
Cassini is the first and only spacecraft which is the primary purpose of this research giant gaseous planets. Prior to her during the flyby of Saturn are briefly explored the American aircraft types Pioneer and Voyager. Waiver of flight to the moon and NASA shuttle retirement will have much more money available for robotic missions like Cassini and the like.
Marino Tumpić