ESA - Space Science - Cassini-Huygens - celebrating 10 years since launch

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Cassini-Huygens - celebrating 10 years since launch

12 October 2007

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as the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft was launched on 15 October 1997. It marked the start of one of the great adventures in space exploration - a seven-year trek which would end with the NASA Cassini spacecraft in orbit around the planet Saturn and the deployment of ESA's Huygens probe onto the unseen surface of Titan, one of the largest satellites in the Solar System.

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The skies over Cape Canaveral were illuminated by the fiery exhaust of a Titan IVB/Centaur rocket as the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft was launched on 15 October 1997. It marked the start of one of the great adventures in space exploration - a seven-year trek which would end with the NASA Cassini spacecraft in orbit around the planet Saturn and the deployment of ESA's Huygens probe onto the unseen surface of Titan, one of the largest satellites in the Solar System.

Credits: NASA

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At 08:43 UT, 15 October 1997, a Titan IV-Centaur rocket was launched from Cape Canaveral carrying the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft.

Cassini-Huygens is a joint NASA/ESA mission. NASA’s Cassini spacecraft will orbit Saturn for four years, making an extensive survey of the ringed planet. The ESA Huygens probe will be the first to land on a world in the outer Solar System - on the surface of Titan, Saturn’s largest moon. Data from Cassini and Huygens may offer clues about how life began on Earth.

Credits: NASA

At Saturn and Titan

Planetary scientists close in on Saturn’s elusive rotation Images of Saturn’s small moons tell the story of their origins Organic ‘building blocks’ discovered in Titan’s atmosphere Cassini’s new view of land of lakes and seas Cassini on the trail of a runaway mystery Cassini on the trail of a runaway mystery - more images Saturn’s moon Iapetus is the Yin-Yang of the Solar System Fasten your seat belts, turbulence ahead - lessons from Titan Possible origin of Saturn's mysterious G ring The latest on titan Two more active moons around Saturn Cassini images bizarre hexagon on Saturn Enceladus geysers mask the length of Saturn’s day

In depth

Cassini-Huygens in-depth