Cassini Spacecraft Orbits Saturn
On July 1, 2004 Cassini Spacecraft began orbiting Saturn. Cassini was sent to orbit Saturn and to study Saturn and its many Satellites while it orbited. The current planned end time is a Saturn impact in 2017. Cassini had seven main objectives:
1. Determine the three-dimensional structure and dynamic behavior of the rings of Saturn.
2. Determine the composition of the surfaces and geological history of each object orbiting Saturn.
3. Determine the nature and origin of the dark material on Iapetus's leading hemisphere.
4. Measure the three-dimensional structure and dynamic behavior of the magnetosphere.
5. Study the dynamic behavior of Saturn's atmosphere at cloud level.
6. Study the time variability of Titan's clouds and hazes. Titan is a satellite of Saturn.
7. Characterize Titan's surface on a regional scale.
This project has cost 3.26 billion US dollars. The money to pay for this mission was contributed by three sources: United States (2.6 billion, 80%), European Space Agency (500 million, 15%), and Italian Space Agency (160 million (5%).
The instruments included on the Cassini Spacecraft are the following:
1. Cassini Plasma Spectrometer (CAPS): Direct sensing instrument that measures the energy and electrical charge of particles that the instrument encounters. This will help to determine the configuration of Saturn's magnetic field.
2. Cosmic Dust Analyzer (CDA): Direct sensing instrument that measures the size, speed, and direction of tiny dust grains near Saturn. Some of these particles way be from other star systems. The CDA was designed to learn more about these particles.
3. Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS): Remote sensing instrument that measures the ingrared waves coming from objects to learn about their temperatures, thermal properties, and compositions. This instrument is what helps to map the atmosphere of Saturn in three-dimensions.
4. ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS): Direct sensing instrument that analyzes charged particles and neutral particles near Titan and Saturn to learn more about their atmospheres.
5. imaging Science Subsystem (ISS): Remote sensing instrument that captures most images in visible light and also some infrared images and ultraviolet images. The ISS has taken hundreds of thousands of pictures of Saturn, its rings, and its moons.
6. Dual Technique Magnetometer (MAG): Direct sensing instrument that measures the strength and direction of the magnetic field around Saturn. The magnetic fields are generated partly by the intensely hot molten core at Saturn's center.
7. Magnetosphere Imaging Instrument (MIMI): Both a direct and remote sensing instrumente that produces images and other data about the particles trapped in Saturn's huge magnetic field.
8. Radar: On board radar is a remote active and remote passive sensing instrument that will produce maps of Titan's surface. It measures the height of surface objects by sending radio signals that bounce off Titan's surface and timing their return.
9. Radio and plasma Wave Science Instrument (RPWS): Direct and remote sensing instrument athat receives and measures radio signals coming from Saturn including the radio waves given off by the interaction of the solar wind withe Saturn and Titan.
10. Radio Science Subsystem (RSS): Remote sensing instrument that uses radio antennas on Earth to observe the way radio signals from the spacecraft change as they are sent through objects.
11. Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph (UVIS): Remote sensing instrument that captures images of the ultraviolet light reflected off an object such as the clouds of Saturn or Saturn's rings to learn more about their structure and composition.
12. Visible and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS): Remote sensing instrument that captures images using visible and infrared light to learn more about the composition of moon surfaces, the rings, and the atmospheres of Saturn and Titan. VIMS is made of two cameras in one, one to measure visible light and the other to measure infrared light. VIMS measures the radiation given off by rings and such to determine their compositions, temperatures, and structures.
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1. Determine the three-dimensional structure and dynamic behavior of the rings of Saturn.
2. Determine the composition of the surfaces and geological history of each object orbiting Saturn.
3. Determine the nature and origin of the dark material on Iapetus's leading hemisphere.
4. Measure the three-dimensional structure and dynamic behavior of the magnetosphere.
5. Study the dynamic behavior of Saturn's atmosphere at cloud level.
6. Study the time variability of Titan's clouds and hazes. Titan is a satellite of Saturn.
7. Characterize Titan's surface on a regional scale.
This project has cost 3.26 billion US dollars. The money to pay for this mission was contributed by three sources: United States (2.6 billion, 80%), European Space Agency (500 million, 15%), and Italian Space Agency (160 million (5%).
The instruments included on the Cassini Spacecraft are the following:
1. Cassini Plasma Spectrometer (CAPS): Direct sensing instrument that measures the energy and electrical charge of particles that the instrument encounters. This will help to determine the configuration of Saturn's magnetic field.
2. Cosmic Dust Analyzer (CDA): Direct sensing instrument that measures the size, speed, and direction of tiny dust grains near Saturn. Some of these particles way be from other star systems. The CDA was designed to learn more about these particles.
3. Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS): Remote sensing instrument that measures the ingrared waves coming from objects to learn about their temperatures, thermal properties, and compositions. This instrument is what helps to map the atmosphere of Saturn in three-dimensions.
4. ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS): Direct sensing instrument that analyzes charged particles and neutral particles near Titan and Saturn to learn more about their atmospheres.
5. imaging Science Subsystem (ISS): Remote sensing instrument that captures most images in visible light and also some infrared images and ultraviolet images. The ISS has taken hundreds of thousands of pictures of Saturn, its rings, and its moons.
6. Dual Technique Magnetometer (MAG): Direct sensing instrument that measures the strength and direction of the magnetic field around Saturn. The magnetic fields are generated partly by the intensely hot molten core at Saturn's center.
7. Magnetosphere Imaging Instrument (MIMI): Both a direct and remote sensing instrumente that produces images and other data about the particles trapped in Saturn's huge magnetic field.
8. Radar: On board radar is a remote active and remote passive sensing instrument that will produce maps of Titan's surface. It measures the height of surface objects by sending radio signals that bounce off Titan's surface and timing their return.
9. Radio and plasma Wave Science Instrument (RPWS): Direct and remote sensing instrument athat receives and measures radio signals coming from Saturn including the radio waves given off by the interaction of the solar wind withe Saturn and Titan.
10. Radio Science Subsystem (RSS): Remote sensing instrument that uses radio antennas on Earth to observe the way radio signals from the spacecraft change as they are sent through objects.
11. Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph (UVIS): Remote sensing instrument that captures images of the ultraviolet light reflected off an object such as the clouds of Saturn or Saturn's rings to learn more about their structure and composition.
12. Visible and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS): Remote sensing instrument that captures images using visible and infrared light to learn more about the composition of moon surfaces, the rings, and the atmospheres of Saturn and Titan. VIMS is made of two cameras in one, one to measure visible light and the other to measure infrared light. VIMS measures the radiation given off by rings and such to determine their compositions, temperatures, and structures.
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