In 1973, a global exploration of one of the planets of the solar system, Saturn, was begun. American scientists launched into space an interplanetary station called Pioneer 11. This allowed us to learn a lot about a distant and mysterious planet, see its beauty and explore the surface. Over time, scientists realized that they needed to get more information about the space giant, only of a different nature. And for this, the mission of two Cassini devices, the Huygens, was developed. Interest in the planet will not only allow us to learn more about its characteristics, but it will probably be the beginning of new research and inventions on Earth. In addition to the beautiful images of Saturn, the device also transmits data on the composition of the soil, the height of various quantities, and most importantly, helps to more closely examine the satellites of the space giant. Perhaps, having learned more about them, we will be able to solve more mysteries of the universe, and there are still very, very many of them.
General information about the device
To send the mission, the United States had to spend about three billion dollars to conduct research on a distant planet. The three most famous and talented space exploration organizations were engaged in the development and construction of equipment, in addition, seventeen different countries took part in the process.
They made an apparatus whose height was ten meters, and the starting weight was approximately six tons. The Huygens automatic station was equipped with twelve scientific instruments, as well as a bar for a magnetometer and wiring fourteen kilometers long. It was one of the most expensive and significant space exploration developments at that time.
The device apparatus "Cassini"
Communication with the Earth was developed by an Italian company. She equipped the apparatus with a four-meter antenna. In connection with the place that he was supposed to use, the solar panels decided not to use, because they would not make any sense there. Instead, three thermoelectric and radioisotope generators were used as an energy generator. They poured thirty-three kilograms of especially radioactive plutonium, which acts as fuel. This amount is enough for two hundred years of equipment operation. By the way, about half the weight of the Huygens-Cassini station is occupied by fuel, with the help of which the device braked, entered the orbit of Saturn and carried out other maneuvers necessary for the mission.
Huygens
This is an ordinary space probe, which according to the plans of the creators was supposed to land on the giant’s satellite - Titan. It is equipped with six instruments designed specifically to study the surface of the satellite. Also on it is an amphibious assault chamber, designed to capture the landscapes of the satellite, which at that time was hardly studied by scientists. The weight of the device is 350 kilograms. The union with Cassini was carried out with the aim of a joint flight, because the missions of these two objects are close to each other.
Flight
On October 15, 1997, the Cassini station and the Huygens apparatus attached to it were launched for the exploration of Saturn. To send the station into space, a specialized launch vehicle called the Titan 4B was used. In addition, I had to use an additional unit, which provided acceleration of the object, which was called "Centaur".
Immediately the device was supposed to arrive on Venus. There were a number of reasons for this, because, as astronauts say, there are no direct roads in the galaxy. Gravitational fields of three planets helped to accelerate the device. In order not to waste resources, during the flight to its destination, the station used only a few percent of its potential.
First shots
Arrived at Cassini Huygens in the winter of 2000. It was then that he sent the first pictures of Saturn to the Earth in the first lunar quarter, this is a view not previously seen by earthlings. Researchers also received images of the Phoeb satellite, which is no less than a giant planet, scientists are interested. It was a real sensation, because for the first time people were able to so clearly see this space object.
Phoebe's companion
Thanks to the photographs, it was possible to consider that Phoeb is very similar in appearance to an asteroid the size of two hundred kilometers and that it has an irregular shape. In addition, scientists learned that to a greater extent it consists of ice and has the structure of a comet. This information brought scientists closer to understanding the secrets of the Saturn system.
Sun glare on the ice rings of Saturn
Having overcome the distance to Saturn, Cassini entered the orbit of the planet. It happened in the middle of summer 2004. Along the way, he encountered only two obstacles, but this did not cause particularly significant damage. Before landing on the planet, he made 74 turns around Saturn, it took him about four years. But during this time he studied the surface of the giant and its satellites. It is worth noting that the station flew around Titan 45 times.
Basic goals
Huygens, Cassini were sent to Saturn in order to explore the planet, namely:
- Define the structure and find out the behavior of the rings of the planet.
- Learn the geological structure and history of Saturn’s moons.
- Find out the nature and where the dark matter came from on one of the hemispheres of the Iapetus satellite.
- Investigate the structure and behavior of the magnetosphere.
- Explore the structure of clouds and find out how the atmosphere behaves.
- Learn more about the fog and cloud cover on Titan.
- Determine the nature of the surface of titanium.
Mission Tools
Huygens and Cassini were equipped with a spectrometer so that the maps of the planet compiled by the apparatus could be obtained on Earth. A radar image acquisition system was also installed. With its help, the height of objects on the planet and satellites was measured. The radar operates using radio signals that the satellite reflects. In addition, he listened to the radio signals that the planet emits. Also included in the equipment: a mass spectrometer of neutral particles and ions, plasma and radio waves, a magnetosphere camera, an ultraviolet and infrared spectrometer camera, a magnetometer, an RF subsystem and a nuclear generator.
Flight chronicle
- 1997 - departure from the Earth.
- 1998 - the first maneuver on Venus and the creation of many beautiful and unforgettable images of the planet.
- 2000 - flying past the asteroid Masursky, thanks to the station, it was possible to find out that its diameter is about 20 kilometers, which significantly influenced further research.
- 2000 - in December, he flew past Jupiter, taking many color photographs and conducting a number of important studies.
- 2001 - the discovery of haze on the way from Jupiter to Saturn, these are the first signs of it in the constellation Pleiades.
- 2004 - flying past Titan and discovering a cryovolcano with nitrogen ice flowing out of it, which became a sensation in the world of space research.
- 2004 - on the night of December 25, there was a separation of the Cassini probe.
- 2005 - Cassini successfully landed on Titan and embarked on its mission.
Mission results
Using the apparatus, scientists were able to conduct an experiment to test the general theory of relativity. At this point, scientists observed a frequency shift and signal delay. In 2005, it was possible to study the spokes of Saturn, but this did not help to understand the mechanism of their creation. It is believed that the following knitting needles should have appeared in 2007. In addition, the device made it possible to detect new satellites of the planet Metone, Palene and Polydesis. And in May, another satellite, called Daphnis, was discovered in the Keeler gap, this is the second satellite in which the orbit is located inside the rings of the planet.
Was found water ice on the surface of Phoebe. Scientists have also discovered liquid hydrocarbon lakes in the northern hemisphere of Titan. It is worth noting that this is the first time scientists have found bodies of water somewhere other than Earth. Thanks to the Cassini probe, it became known that their size varies from one to hundreds of kilometers. In 2007, it was announced that a large accumulation of seas was discovered in northern Titan. The year before, scientists learned about another mystery that Saturn contains, "Cassini" discovered an atmospheric structure, which is a hexagonal storm of 25 thousand kilometers.
Mission extension
Deciding what will happen to the device after it completes its mission, scientists have developed several scenarios for the Huygens-Cassini station. The most priority and desired option proposed by the developers was the launch of the device into the elongated orbit of Saturn. Its advantage is that the station would continue to fly around the planet, while it would not collide with its satellites or other obstacles that could affect its integrity.
The second option proposed by the staff of the research center was the withdrawal of the station into the atmosphere of Saturn. But there is one difficulty, to do this, would have to lead him through the rings of the planet. In this case, the likelihood of losing control of the device, and, accordingly, the uncertainty of what fate awaits on Saturn "Cassini".
It was also proposed to use the station to study other space objects in the Kuiper belt, including Uranus and Neptune. Taking into account the fuel supply and a set of tools, the station would be able to cope with the task and help to learn more about the poorly studied parts of our solar system.
Another option for using the automatic interplanetary station was to put it on a collision path with Mercury. Scientists have calculated that this is quite possible if you use the gravitational field of Jupiter. Then it will fly to the planet at a speed of 20 kilometers per hour and, without harm to itself, will collide with an understudied object. According to these plans, around 2021, people could study Mercury in more detail, its structure, structure and composition.
But in 2007, a unanimous decision was made to keep the station in orbit of Saturn. Observation of the planet continues to this day, the satellite is constantly transmitting images of this amazing giant to Earth, revealing to us all new secrets of the distant and yet incomprehensible completely Saturn, the distance to which we were able to overcome with the help of the developments of famous scientists and the desire to discover space. Of course, a lot of money, time and effort was spent, but with full confidence we can say that it was worth it. After all, the more we learn about the world around us, the better we will be able to understand ourselves. Space exploration is developing annually, and, who knows, perhaps the next mission on Saturn will be no longer a functional automatic station, but a group of qualified astronauts. In any case, the device made its orbit and opened to people not only useful information, but also unique images of this distant and beautiful planet.