Go Cassini, GO! :)

[Meerkat]

Saturn mission to reveal mysterious planet (http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/06/28/bc.saturn.cassini.ap/index.html)

[Keith Wilson]

Here's one of the pictures it already sent back.

http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/rings/images/PIA06077.jpg

Very cool. You know, this seems to be one of the things just about everybody here can agree on. smile.gif

[Meerkat]

It's supposed to slip between the gap in the rings - let's hope it's really an empty gap and not a lot of carbon! :eek: Mind the Gap! ;)

If successful, shortly after going through the gap, it's supposed to take it's best pics of the rings themselves!

Also slated to deploy a lander on Titan.

[Tar Devil]

I already know all there is to know about the rings of Saturn...

You know how you put two socks in the wash and only get one back? That's what the rings of Saturn are... socks without mates.

Later,

Phil

[LeeG]

and guess what? Laurie Anderson has a two year contract to be a "NASA artist",,,now this is too cool.

In case you folks who get indignant about federal funding of the arts it's a $20,000 contract,,wwwooooo,,gov't waste,,wooooooooo,,liberal politics,,,woooooooo

Which is about the cost of a Bradley vehicle re-tread.

[Wiley Baggins]

Originally posted by Keith Wilson:

Very cool.Indeed!

[imported_Conrad]

That photo's a fake, and man never landed on the moon. Science guys are soooo gullible. Oh, and right, we're gonna shoot that spacecraft right through the gap in the rings, but we can't stop the common cold or explain how our sense of smell works even though we've got the entire human dna structure decoded. :rolleyes:

Think before you type, people. Sheesh. :D

[imported_Steven Bauer]

http://vesuvius.jsc.nasa.gov/er/seh/cassini.gif

[George G]

Saturn has to be one of the most beautiful things in the universe!

[Meerkat]

They're expecting "Huygens" to take 2-1/2 hours to let down through the Titan atmosphere by parachute before landing. If it does not land in liquid methane, it's supposed to send back data for up to 1/2 hour before it's batteries are exhausted. If it does land in methane, the warranty is void (won't send back data). ;)

[ 07-01-2004, 03:22 AM: Message edited by: Meerkat ]

[Meerkat]

Success! Casini arrived on orbit around Saturn this evening! Engine shutdown was within 1 second of plan.

[imported_Conrad]

Hmmmm, let's see, 436,000 mi./hour and a second late, thats........ Whoa, missed it by a hundred miles or so... :D tongue.gif

That second picture of the landing is an obvious fake too. I mean, who was there to TAKE the picture? Don't you guys think these things through? ;)

"Pixtar" has the contract for this little ruse, awarded by the Clinton administration, just another example of the man's ability to lie! (See, he can be brought into ANY conversation!) tongue.gif :D

[ 07-01-2004, 04:01 AM: Message edited by: Conrad ]

[Meerkat]

Getting a ring side view!
http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/61762main_pia06096-516-546.jpg

[George G]

It flew through THAT and didn't get nailed by a chunk?

[Meerkat]

That was a close up of one or more rings... Cassini flew through the gap:
http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/61515main_pia06077-516-385.jpg
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/cassini/2004-07-01/SOI8-browse.jpg
http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/61692main_soi5-516.jpg

[ 07-01-2004, 05:23 PM: Message edited by: Meerkat ]

[Jim H]

It flew all the way to Saturn and someones finger shows up in the photo. :rolleyes: ;)

http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/raw/casJPGBrowseS02/N00000334.jpg

[ 07-01-2004, 07:11 PM: Message edited by: Jim Hillman ]

[LeeG]

gravity sucks,,,,it was going 12,000mph then accelerated up to 67,000 as it swung around the planet.