Cassini Orbital Insertion

[Anonymous]

FWIW...

The Cassini-Huygens space probe, launched back in 1997, is getting ready to go into orbit around planet Saturn. The spacecraft will pass through a gap in Saturn's rings, followed by a 96-minute engine burn in order to slow down and get captured by the planet's gravity. At the moment Cassini is functioning properly, and communication is good...but I'm still going to be holding my breath...very critical part of the mission. If all goes well, it should become the first-ever Saturn orbiter starting tomorrow...and orbiting the planet at least through 2008. The science from this mission will be SPECTACULAR, including a piggyback-probe (Huygens) that will parachute onto the surface of it's smoggy hydrocarbon-filled moon Titan early next year.

There are plenty of articles coming out on the insertion. NASA-TV is also doing news-briefings on the status...I believe there are webcasts of those in the 2 links below.

JPL Cassini Homepage

Space.Com Cassini Coverage

[Lindaloo]

Interesting.... thanks Cane.