ESA - Space Science - Splashing down on Titan's oceans

Space Science

About Space Science ESA's 'Cosmic Vision'Science & Technology in-depth

Multimedia

Science images Science videos Animations Downloads Sounds from space

Media centre

Press Releases Press kits ESA Television

Resources

Reference section Glossary FAQs

Science missions

Services

Help Legal disclaimer Comments Subscribe

RSS feeds

ESA Sci on Twitter

Article Images

Splashing down on Titan's oceans

Back to article

This narrow angle field-of-view artist's rendering shows Titan's surface with Saturn dimly in the background through Titan's thick atmosphere of methane, ethane and (mostly) nitrogen. The Cassini spacecraft flys over the surface with its high-gain antenna pointed at the Huygens probe as it reaches the surface. Thin methane clouds dot the horizon, and a narrow methane spring or 'methanefall' flows from the cliff at left and drifts mostly into vapour. Smooth ice features rise out of the methane/ethane lake, and crater walls can be seen far in the distance.

Credits: David Seal

Back to article

Download:

HI-RES JPEG (Size: 87 kb)

Cassini/Huygens is an ESA/NASA mission to the Saturnian system. Carried on NASA's Cassini Saturn orbiter, ESA's Huygens probe will explore the atmosphere of Titan, Saturn's largest moon. A few months after going into orbit around Saturn, Cassini will release Huygens for its entry and descent through Titan's atmosphere to the surface. Cassini will go on to make many close fly-bys to continue the global exploration of Titan during its nominal four-year mission.

Credits: ESA / D. Ducros

Back to article

The Huygens probe separating from the Cassini spacecraft

Download:

HI-RES JPEG (Size: 152 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. The probe could continue to relay information for up to 30 minutes after it lands on Titan's frigid surface, after which the orbiter passes beneath the horizon as seen from the probe.

Credits: NASA/JPL/Caltech