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Cassini-Huygens mission celebrates anniversary

15 October 2005

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As the NASA/ESA/ASI Cassini-Huygens spacecraft orbits around Saturn, it puts itself on a course to intercept Titan, and prepares to release the Huygens probe.

The Cassini-Huygens mission is a co-operative project of NASA, ESA and the Italian Space Agency.

Credits: NASA/ESA

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This montage of images of the Saturnian system was prepared from images taken by the US Voyager 1 spacecraft during its Saturn encounter in November 1980. This artist's arrangement shows Dione in the foreground, Saturn rising behind, Tethys and Mimas fading in the distance to the right, Enceladus and Rhea off Saturn's rings to the left, and Titan in the distant orbit at the top.

Credits: NASA

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This image was returned on 14 January 2005, by ESA's Huygens probe during its successful descent to land on Titan. This is the colour view, following processing to add reflection spectra data, gives a better indication of the actual colour of the surface. Initially thought to be rocks or ice blocks, they are more pebble-sized. The two rock-like objects just below the middle of the image are about 15 centimetres (left) and 4 centimetres (centre) across respectively, at a distance of about 85 centimetres from Huygens. The surface is darker than originally expected, consisting of a mixture of water and hydrocarbon ice. There is also evidence of erosion at the base of these objects, indicating possible fluvial activity.

Credits: ESA/NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

At Saturn and Titan

Huygens raw images

Sounds of Titan

A simulated view from Huygens Some Cassini-Huygens science highlights Titan's surface seen from fly-by on 22 August 2005 Huygens 3D animation of Titan's surface Saturn's moon Phoebe in 3D Cassini-Huygens looks at Phoebe's distant past Cassini finds atmosphere on Enceladus Cassini's Hyperion fly-by