CassiniHuygens
Google doodle: The Cassini-Huygens spacecraft and its final trip.
Cassini is the fourth space probe to visit Saturn and the first to enter orbit. It has studied the planet and its many natural satellites since arriving there in 2004. Its mission is ongoing as of April 2017.
On April 22, the Cassini spacecraft made the last pass from Titan. On April 26, Cassini - moving at 122,000 kilometers per hour - will make the first of a series of "dives" in the 2.400-kilometer gap between the giant planet and the innermost ring of it, the D ring.
In this final phase scientists hope to learn more about both Saturn's inner structure and the origin of the spectacular rings that surround him. Among other things, the vessel will collect the first samples from the atmosphere of the planet, while photographing closer than ever the clouds around Saturn as well as itsinner rings. It will also map its gravitational and magnetic field.
One reason the ship will self-destruct on Saturn is that the scientists want to be sure it will not fall on Titan or Enceladus, perhaps contaminating them with earthy germs. Although Cassini was sterilized before leaving Earth in 1997, it is possible that some terrestrial microorganisms have survived on it. Given that Saturn's big moons are candidates for the discovery of life forms, scientists want to avoid confusion with the life that has been transferred from Earth.
More about Cassini-Huygens here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassini%E2%80%93Huyg...
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I'm very fascinated with Titan and the appearance of lakes on the first body outside of earth. It would have been interesting if the landing there had splashed down in liquid black oil! There is a video of Titan that looks like the spacecraft passes a building with front steps close to the landing point!
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Excellent Post, I learned from it.
Funny thing about it self-destructing, I guess immunity is a factor in more ways thank I ever imagined... :-)
Thank you Reanna
You are so welcome, Leon!