Already considered one of space history's more successful probes, the US, European Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn has been extended by two years.
Saturn and the moons Titan, Enceladus, Dione, Rhea and Helene. Image credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
Officials originally planned to end the craft's journey in July 2008, however the probe's stunning success in sending back new discoveries and images of Saturn and its system has prompted NASA to announce an extra 60 orbits of Saturn and more flybys of its exotic moons.
These will include 26 flybys of Titan, seven of Enceladus, and one each of Dione, Rhea and Helene, according to a NASA statement.
"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, Planetary Science Division, NASA Headquarters, Washington. "New discoveries are the hallmarks of its success, along with the breathtaking images beamed back to Earth that are simply mesmerising."
Bob Mitchell, Cassini program manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. added in a statement, "The spacecraft is performing exceptionally well and the team is highly motivated, so we're excited at the prospect of another two years."
Launched in October 1997, the probe has found evidence that an abundance of water exists below Enceladus' surface and its images of the moon Titan have given scientists some idea of what the Earth would have looked like prior to any life existing. They say many parallels exist between Titan and an early Earth including lakes, rivers, channels, dunes, rain, snow, clouds, mountains and possibly volcanoes.
The extension of the mission will give scientists an opportunity to respond to the new Cassini-Huygens discoveries said Dennis Matson, the JPL Cassini project scientist.
"When we designed the original tour, we really did not know what we would find, especially at Enceladus and Titan," he said. "This extended tour is responding to these new discoveries and giving us a chance to look for more."
The Cassini spacecraft has sent back data which would seem to suggest a vast underground ocean exists under Titan, Saturn's largest moon. Pic: Artists impression of the Cassini spacecraft near Saturn. Credit: NASA
The spacecraft is one of the most scientifically advanced of imaging probes ever launched with twelve imaging instruments on the orbiter.
It has travelled more than 3.5 billion kilometres since its launch and, since reaching Saturn's system almost four years ago has sent back a steady stream of data including nearly 140,000 images, and information gathered during 62 revolutions around Saturn, 43 flybys of Titan and 12 close flybys of the icy moons.
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