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Cassini

kuh-SEE-nee
Also Known As Cassini-Huygens
Space Probe

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A NASA orbiter that studied Saturn, its rings and its moons from 2004 to 2017, carrying the European Huygens probe that it released to land on Titan in 2005, the first landing in the outer solar system. The mission ended deliberately, with Cassini plunged into Saturn's atmosphere to keep the potentially habitable moons Enceladus and Titan free of contamination.

Facts
Spacecraft Type
Robotic planetary orbiter 1
Launch Date
1997-10-15 2
Manufacturer
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), with the Italian Space Agency (ASI) providing key components 2
Status
Retired; deliberately deorbited into Saturn's atmosphere on 15 September 2017. 1
Cross-Tradition Connections

Associated With

Cassini-Huygens Mission, Missions and Programs

Cassini is the NASA-built Saturn orbiter component of this joint mission.

Source Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Saturn, Celestial Objects

Orbited Saturn for thirteen years, from 2004 to 2017.

Source NASA Solar System Exploration
Titan, Celestial Objects

Delivered the Huygens probe to Titan's surface in January 2005.

Source NASA Solar System Exploration

Operated By

NASA, Space Agencies and Companies

Developed and flown with the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency; ESA contributed the Huygens Titan probe.

Source NASA Solar System Exploration
Sources
1. NASA Solar System Exploration
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
2. Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Wikimedia FoundationCassini-Huygens, Objectives section (launch)
Quote, Cassini-Huygens, Objectives section (launch)
Launched aboard a Titan IV-B with a Centaur D-1T upper stage on October 15, 1997, Cassini was active in space for nearly 20 years
2. Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Wikimedia FoundationCassini-Huygens, Wikipedia - development section
Quote, Cassini-Huygens, Wikipedia - development section
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which developed the orbiter, managed the mission.
2. Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Wikimedia FoundationCassini-Huygens, Wikipedia - lead section IPA (respelled to ASCII)
Quote, Cassini-Huygens, Wikipedia - lead section IPA (respelled to ASCII)
Cassini-Huygens
2. Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: Cassini-Huygens Mission, Cassini-Huygens, Overview section

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