This is the voyage of the spacecraft Cassini.
Its 7-year mission to explore strange new worlds.
To seek out new science and probe blanketed moons.
To boldly investigate that which no-one has seen before.
Sorry. Couldn't resist it. We just landed on Titan!
This morning the Huygens probe, carried for 7 years by the Cassini spacecraft, entered the atmosphere of Saturn's largest moon: Titan. Shortly after reaching the 'interface altitude' (where the atmosphere officially begins) Huygens deployed its pilot parachute, which pulled away the rear cover and released the main parachute of 8.3m diameter.
After 42 seconds, the science began as the technology included on the craft began to operate. Images were captured, the mass spectrometer inlets opened and various atmospheric properties measured. This information was relayed to Cassini. 87 minutes later the Green Bank radio telescope in West Virginia, USA, picked up "a faint but unmistakable radio signal from the probe", and scientists all over the world rejoiced.
The probe then began taking mass spectrometer readings, as well as slowly spinning to allow the camera to photograph the entire area. Measuring its height with a pair of radar altimeters, Huygens detected when it was approaching the ground, and turned on a light.
At some point, Huygens touched down and early indications are that it was a solid landing. Data continued to be collected using the Surface Science Package. Huygens was designed to remain operating for at least three minutes after landing, but signals were received for much longer than this, delighting the team behind the craft.
Within hours, Cassini had passed over the horizon, out of communications range, and Huygens' job was complete. Data continues to be streamed from Cassini, and is currently being analysed.
This is a wonderful day for all space enthusiasts, and if I may for a moment resort to net lingo to express my joy: w00t!
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