Huygens Has Landed on Titan

The live NASA feed is getting underway, although the transmission from the orbiter Cassini is hours away. Nonetheless, for space geeks like me, the excitement is palpable. The video is at:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/main/index.html

This is a joint triumph for NASA and the European Space Agency, and should really excite people around the world looking for mankind to do great works rather than evil works.

•  re

  jpl.nasa.gov has live nasa TV going on now..

  congrats to all!

  (and thank goodness bush did not require nasa to rename it the Freedom Probe.)

  by cookiesandmilk on Fri Jan 14, 2005 at 08:50:07 AM PDT

  •  For What It's Worth,

    Huygen's is a European probe. But, I don't know if that's "Old Europe" or not.

    ;^)

    by RonV on Fri Jan 14, 2005 at 08:53:45 AM PDT

    •  re

      Oh i know. i meant he would be such a weenie that he would rename the euro-part anyway.

      by cookiesandmilk on Fri Jan 14, 2005 at 09:12:39 AM PDT

•  Science is cool.

  And, despite my concerns about Cassini's nuclear power pack ( I was in favor of waiting for the next manifestation of a chrono-synclastic infundibulum), I am looking forward to seeing what Huygen's sees.

  Maybe a Tralfamadorian ship?

  (For those who are not yet members of the Church of God the Utterly Indifferent, click here)

  by RonV on Fri Jan 14, 2005 at 08:50:37 AM PDT

•  obligatory bad joke about moons & planets

  maybe Saturn should write an exercise book for the other planets: "Titan Up! or, Frozen Moons Are Firmer Moons."

  ba-dum-bum

  by bopes on Fri Jan 14, 2005 at 09:15:01 AM PDT

•  Thanks for the reminder

  Go Huygens! Thanks for the reminder, easong. My husband and I must be turning into science geeks; we marked this event on our calendar, which we've never done for a space/science happening before. It's really fun when you start paying attention and learning to anticipate fun stuff like this. Kinda like politics!

  A word after a word after a word is power. -- Margaret Atwood

  by tmo on Fri Jan 14, 2005 at 11:02:23 AM PDT

  •  My Last Space Event

    I got up early one spring morning in 2003 to watch the last space shuttle re-entry. Saw the streak of light crossing north of SF. I went back to bed and heard on NPR several minutes later that I was probably among the last people to see it intact. My reminder note to get up is still tacked above my desk.

    by easong on Fri Jan 14, 2005 at 11:16:12 AM PDT

•  Huygens probe lands on Titan

  .
       
         BBC website on Huygens and video

  The Huygens probe has been released and is heading for
  Saturn's largest moon, Titan, scientists have confirmed.

  A signal that the parachutes had separated from its mothership, Cassini, was received by the US space agency at its Jet Propulsion Lab [JPL] in Pasadena. Huygens made a successfull landing on the smog-shrouded satellite of Saturn.  When it entered Titan's atmosphere, the probe will have just a few hours to collect data before its batteries die. This is the length of time the 2.7m-wide probe will be in view of Cassini, the relay station through which the data on the moon's environment will be sent back to Earth.

   

  With great additional links to all participating partners, such as JPL and ESA.
  Great video animation by the BBC. Nice for a relaxed day and dream into Space's fantasy.

  Christiaan Huygens (1629-1695) was the best known scientist of the Dutch Golden Age. His inventions and discoveries in astronomy, physics and mathematics revolutionized 17th-century science

  OPEN THREAD -- Huygens probe landed on Titan
  by dburbach on Fri Jan 14th, 2005 at 09:10:06 EST

  In 2005 - Be Liberal Support our Allies of Democracy on Human Rights, Environment, Gay Rights and Minorities & EU and UN Development Programs Third World & Our Friends

  by creve coeur on Fri Jan 14, 2005 at 11:42:03 AM PDT