What launched 19 years ago tomorrow and taught us so much about Saturn and its moons?
Cassini-Huygens!
This joint mission between NASA, ESA (European Space Agency) and the Italian Space Agency launched on October 14, 1997. The mission was designed to study Saturn, its rings and its moons. Cassini arrived at Saturn in 2004.
It brought us stunning images of our solar system like these:
Saturn from Cassini, Image Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
Saturn rings, Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute
Just how big is Saturn? It has more than 700 times Earth’s volume! The mission revealed amazing discoveries such as lightening on the night side and day side of the massive planet.
In 2005, the Huygens probe entered the atmosphere of the moon Titan and examined what the surface was like and what chemicals were present.
Titan from Huygens probe, Image Credit: ESA/NASA/JPL/University of Arizona
Cassini sent back exciting images of the moon Enceladus, and revealed water vapor and ice particles being spewed into space like geysers from an ocean under the moon’s icy crust.
Saturn moon Enceladus, Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
The mission continues today, and began its final year last month. Learn more about this historic mission.