ESA - Cassini-Huygens - Huygens begins its final journey into the unknown

Unique insights into a ringed world

About Cassini-Huygens

Cassini-Huygens mission facts The mission Cassini spacecraft Cassini instruments Huygens spacecraft Huygens instruments The launcher

About Saturn

Facts about Saturn Saturn's rings Saturn's moons Saturn's atmosphere Saturn's magnetosphere

About Titan

Facts about Titan Titan's atmosphere Titan's surface Life on Titan?

Meet the team

International collaboration Huygens Mission Team Cassini Project Team ASI Programme Manager Huygens investigators Cassini orbiter investigators (1)Cassini orbiter investigators (2)

Multimedia

VideoTalk Cassini-Huygens images Cassini-Huygens videos Titan virtual tour Hygens probe descent - multilingual CD-rom Download wallpapers Download screensavers 3D Flash 'model'SOI animation Waiting for Titan - the human side of Huygens

Watch the event

Press conference 2 Press conference Status report 6 Status report 5 Status report 4 Status report 3 Status report 2 Status report 1 Overview of events

Services

Comments

Article Images

Huygens begins its final journey into the unknown

25 December 2004

Back to article

Download:

HI-RES JPEG (Size: 439 kb)

HI-RES TIFF (Size: 9195 kb)

An artist's impression of the Huygens probe entering the upper layers of Titan's atmosphere at 22 000 kilometres per hour. It slows to about 1400 kilometres per hour in less than two minutes, thanks to the friction of the front heatshield with the atmospheric gas.

The temperature of the gas in the shock wave in front of the heatshield may reach 12 000°C, with the shield itself reaching 1800°C.

Credits: ESA-D. DUCROS

Final stage of a seven-year odyssey

Back to article

Download:

HI-RES JPEG (Size: 271 kb)

HI-RES TIFF (Size: 9195 kb)

This artist's concept of the Cassini-Huygens orbiter shows the Huygens probe separating to enter Titan's atmosphere. After separation, the probe drifts for about three weeks until reaching its destination, Titan. Equipped with a variety of scientific sensors, the Huygens probe will spend 2-2.5 hours descending through Titan's dense, murky atmosphere of nitrogen and carbon-based molecules, beaming its findings to the distant Cassini orbiter overhead.

Credits: ESA-D. DUCROS

Exploring Titan’s atmosphere

Back to article

Download:

HI-RES JPEG (Size: 335 kb)

HI-RES TIFF (Size: 9194 kb)

Artist view of the Huygens probe approaching the upper layers of Titan's atmosphere at 22 000 kilometres per hour, slowing to about 1400 kilometres per hour in less than two minutes, thanks to the friction of the heatshield with the atmospheric gas.

The temperature of the gas in the shock wave in front of the heatshield may reach 12000°C, with the shield itself reaching 1800°C.

Credits: ESA-D. DUCROS

Back to article

The Huygens probe changing its parachutes

A probe deep into space and time

Back to article

Download:

HI-RES JPEG (Size: 239 kb)

HI-RES TIFF (Size: 9194 kb)

Artist view of the Huygens Probe approaching the upper layers of Titan's atmosphere at 22000 km/h, slowing to about 1400 km/h in less than 2 minutes, thanks to the friction of the Front Shield with the atmospheric gas.
The temperature of the gas in the shock wave in front of the heat shield may reach 12000° C, with the shield itself reaching 1800°

Credits: ESA-D. DUCROS

At Saturn and Titan

Huygens probe ready to detach from Cassini mother craft Second space Christmas for ESA: Huygens to begin its final journey to Titan

Huygens snapped by Cassini

Huygens snapped by Cassini 25 Dec