Cassini/Huygens Mission Update Thread

[Leovinus]

First pictures due on NASATV at 2:45pm Eastern <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[telfrow]

According to what I read, with the exception of the wind experiment, channel A and channel B were redundant. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <strong><font color="#3366ff">Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will to strive, to seek, to find and not to yeild.</font> - <font color="#3366ff"><em>Tennyson</em></font></strong> </div>

 

[telfrow]

According to what I read, with the exception of the wind experiment, channel A and channel B were redundant. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <strong><font color="#3366ff">Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will to strive, to seek, to find and not to yeild.</font> - <font color="#3366ff"><em>Tennyson</em></font></strong> </div>

 

[mikejz]

Does anyone know when lose of signal was for the lander from earth stations?

 

[mikejz]

Amazing thought: The entire lander in all odds only sent about 15-20Mb of data total...Amazing what will be in that little bit of data!

 

[yurkin]

Wow this is better then I would have guessed.<br /><br />2:45 huh. I'll be waiting right here

 

[retro555]

According to ESA, they estimate the Probe was able to collect about 30 minutes of data on the surface. That is much more than expected. We should see some great surface shots!<br /><br />I wonder what ESA will name the new Titan Base? They should name it after the engineer that fought the system and discovered the Cassini-Probe doppler communication anomaly before it was too late!

 

[flynn]

"Amazing thought: The entire lander in all odds only sent about 15-20Mb of data total...Amazing what will be in that little bit of data! "<br /><br />Programmers are very lazy creature now, Even when I was at school back when memory was a premium you would get a right rodding if you used more than 3 characters in your savefile. If your carefull you can make 15-20Mb go a long way.<br /><br />As to the Beagle failure that was more down to what was going on in the UK than a major fault by ESA themselves (scary thing is if they put Colin Pillenger in charge again as has been touted it could all happen again) <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#800080">"All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - <strong>Chuck Palahniuk</strong>.</font> </div>

 

[telfrow]

Does anyone know if the loss of data from Channel A could be the result of the probe's orientation on the surface? (i.e., on a slope, partially buried, etc.) <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <strong><font color="#3366ff">Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will to strive, to seek, to find and not to yeild.</font> - <font color="#3366ff"><em>Tennyson</em></font></strong> </div>

 

[imran10]

<i>Does anyone know if the loss of data from Channel A could be the result of the probe's orientation on the surface? (i.e., on a slope, partially buried, etc.) </i><br /><br />Well the Spaceflight Now article suggests that the Doppler Wind data will be lost and according to Jason (aka volcanopele) we will only be getting half the DISR images.

 

[telfrow]

From SpaceFlightNow.com....<br /><br />FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 2005<br />1930 GMT (2:30 p.m. EST)<br /><br />ESA has released some quote by various officials following today's landing on Titan: <br /><br />"This is a great achievement for Europe and its U.S. partners in this ambitious international endeavour to explore the Saturnian system," said Jean-Jacques Dordain, ESA's director general. <br /><br />"Titan was always the target in the Saturn system where the need for 'ground truth' from a probe was critical. It is a fascinating world and we are now eagerly awaiting the scientific results," says Professor David Southwood, director of ESA's scientific program. <br /><br />"The Huygens scientists are all delighted. This was worth the long wait," says Dr Jean-Pierre Lebreton, ESA Huygens mission manager. Huygens is expected to provide the first direct and detailed sampling of Titan's atmospheric chemistry and the first photographs of its hidden surface, and will supply a detailed 'weather report.' <br /><br />One of the main reasons for sending Huygens to Titan is that its nitrogen atmosphere, rich in methane, and its surface may contain many chemicals of the kind that existed on the young Earth. Combined with the Cassini observations, Huygens will afford an unprecedented view of Saturn's mysterious moon. <br /><br />"Descending through Titan was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and today's achievement proves that our partnership with ESA was an excellent one," says Alphonso Diaz, NASA associate administrator of science. <br /><br />"The teamwork in Europe and the USA, between scientists, industry and agencies has been extraordinary and has set the foundation for today's enormous success," concludes Jean-Jacques Dordain. <br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <strong><font color="#3366ff">Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will to strive, to seek, to find and not to yeild.</font> - <font color="#3366ff"><em>Tennyson</em></font></strong> </div>

 

[yurkin]

The Press conference is starting!!

 

[backspace]

RIVERS! SHORELINES!

 

[dave_uk]

wow just saw the first picture on nasa tv web stream<br /><br />they said more at 11:00 can't wait!

 

[fangsheath]

That was a stunning moment, hearing the reactions of all the major players in their own languages. It was the sound of a triumph of international cooperation that I will always remember.

 

[dave_uk]

first pic<br />http://www.spaceflightnow.com/cassini/050114pic1.html

 

[claerwen]

It is amazing! But my first impression is that the "tributaries" feed into a "river" that is running <i>away</i> from the "ocean".<br /><br />Do others see it differently?

 

[yurkin]

<b>Magnifeac!</b>

 

[flynn]

<img src="/images/icons/cool.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#800080">"All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - <strong>Chuck Palahniuk</strong>.</font> </div>

 

[bobvanx]

rivers/shore<br /><br />Hard to tell, from one image. If it's an exposed delta, it might look like this.<br /><br />We need more!!

 

[astrophoto]

I think it looks like a breakup of slushy ice rather than river flows. I bet that dark material is liquid, the lighter material is icy gunk.<br /><br />My 2 cents.

 

[mooware]

Vegetation.. LOL.. Hmmm, frozen carrots.<br /><br />

 

[yurkin]

Here it is on ESA website!!!!<br />http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Cassini-Huygens/SEMCXM71Y3E_1.html<br />The first pictures from the surface,<br />Rocks have never looked so cool!<br />

 

[yurkin]

Now that I’m looking at I’m not sure if my eyes are tricking me. <br />Starting 2/3rds up the image, does that look like ripples on a liquid surface?<br />

 

[serak_the_preparer]

Whoops - duplicate post! Uplink didn't tell me '<i>Post already exists</i>' for some reason.<br /><br />Sorry about that. : )<br /><br />While I'm editing this double posting, I might as well put this space to some use:<br /><br />Sross, thanks! FYI: Due to problems with an out-of-control former member here a couple of years ago, our ability to post images was taken away from us. You can, however, request image approval from a moderator:<br /><br />Image Approval Thread<br /><br />Meanwhile, though <b>Rendezvous With Saturn's Moon</b> is now over on the Science Channel, some might wish to tune in there at 9 p.m. EST. That's when the Science Channel's coverage of today's big event - <b>Touchdown on Saturn's Moon</b> - will air.