NASA's Cassini probe skims icy moon Enceladus NASA's Cassini spacecraft yesterday made it closest approach yet to Saturn's moon Enceladus, swooping to within 49km (30 miles) of the icy body's south polar region. In the process, it passed through the liquid plumes which spew from Enceladus, originating in its sub-surface ocean. Scientists hope a small sample of plume …
Cassini needs to make close passes of Titan in order to modify its orbit much. So every single influence on that wandering spacecraft's orbit has implications for the next Titan pass.
But, this time the perturbations are not easily crunched orbital parameters, they are variable and unknown braking effects caused by diffuse vapour coming off a moon of Saturn.
So today's total change on Cassini's orbit isn't definitely quantifiable and constiutes a calculated risk, probably small, that the next Titan pass could be missed, leading to huge difficulties in planning future orbital changes.
NASA seems unconcerned tho, so maybe it's not a significant issue.
"NASA seems unconcerned tho, so maybe it's not a significant issue."
Well, Cassini is near EOL, so NASA's ready to take liberties with it's final days. It's next mission will dive it between the innermost ring and the planet 22 times.
If it survives that, it's straight into the heart of Saturn so Cassini'll avoid colliding with Titan or Enceladus.
In case they may be harboring life, they don't want to contaminate them.
http://news.discovery.com/space/cassini-grand-finale-nasas-saturn-missions-daring-end-140707.htm
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