The Cassini-Huygens
spacecraft's mission at Saturn has been extended by two years, NASA announced
today, allowing the plucky probe to continue scouting the planet and its exotic
medley of moons.
Launched in
October 1997, the nuclear-powered Cassini
spacecraft spent seven years journeying to Saturn and has orbited the
ringed planet since June 2004. The mission's end was originally set for July
2008.
"This
extension is not only exciting for the science community, but for the world to
continue to share in unlocking Saturn's secrets," said Jim Green, director
for NASA's Planetary Science Division in Washington.
"New
discoveries are the hallmarks of its success, along with the breathtaking
images beamed back to Earth that are simply mesmerizing," Green added.
Extra
innings
Titan,
Saturn's orange-tinged moon that is now thought to harbor a hidden
ocean, will receive 26 more close encounters while ice-spewing Enceladus —
also suspected of hiding liquid water — is slated for seven more visits.
Cassini's
latest flyby
of Enceladus took the spacecraft within 32 miles (52 km) of the
moon's surface, but an upcoming visit is expected to outdo that encounter at a
mere 15 miles (24 km) from its crust.
Scientists think
Titan and Enceladus may help construct a picture of what Earth was like before
life appeared here, as both moons have been shown to harbor precursors of life.
"When
we designed the original tour, we really did not know what we would find,
especially at Enceladus and Titan," said Dennis Matson, the JPL Cassini
project scientist. "This extended tour is responding to these new discoveries
and giving us a chance to look for more."
In addition
to one flyby a piece for the moons Dione, Rhea and Helene, the extension also
includes more planned peeks at Saturn, its mysterious rings and the gas giant's magnetosphere.
Built to
last
Aside from
a few instrument glitches, mission managers said the probe is in good shape.
"The
spacecraft is performing exceptionally well and the team is highly motivated,
so we're excited at the prospect of another two years," said Bob Mitchell,
Cassini program manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.
If mission
managers decide to extend Cassini's journey yet again in 2010, the craft should
have enough propellant to handle a third mission phase.
Since
arriving at Saturn, Cassini has beamed back nearly 140,000
images during 62 revolutions around the planet and more than 50 flybys of
its moons.
Although
operated by NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency, NASA
rounded up the $160 million to fund the extension that will nearly double Cassini's
orbits around Saturn as well as moon flybys.
The space agencies
have spent a collective $3.27 billion designing, launching and operating the
spacecraft, which sent the Huygens probe to Saturn's moon Titan in early 2004. NASA contributed the lion's share of the Cassini-Huygens program's cost at $2.6 billion.
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