The Cassini spacecraft, with its attached Huygens probe, is lowered from Launch Pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Station for its return trip to the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility (PHSF). Damage to thermal insulation was discovered inside Huygens from an abnormally high flow of conditioned air. Further internal inspection, insulation repair and a cleaning of the probe are now required. Mission managers are targeting a mid-October launch date after Cassini returns to the pad and is once again placed atop its Titan IVB expendable launch vehicle. Cassini will explore the Saturnian system, including the planet’s rings, while the Huygens probe will explore the moon Titan KSC-97PC1347
Summary
The Cassini spacecraft, with its attached Huygens probe, is lowered from Launch Pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Station for its return trip to the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility (PHSF). Damage to thermal insulation was discovered inside Huygens from an abnormally high flow of conditioned air. Further internal inspection, insulation repair and a cleaning of the probe are now required. Mission managers are targeting a mid-October launch date after Cassini returns to the pad and is once again placed atop its Titan IVB expendable launch vehicle. Cassini will explore the Saturnian system, including the planet’s rings, while the Huygens probe will explore the moon Titan
Tags
kennedy space center
cassini
spacecraft
cassini spacecraft
huygens
probe
huygens probe
launch pad
station
cape canaveral air station
trip
return trip
payload
phsf
damage
insulation
flow
inspection
repair
insulation repair
mission managers
mid october
cassini returns
titan
ivb
titan ivb
vehicle
saturnian
system
saturnian system
planet
rings
planet rings
moon
moon titan ksc
cape canaveral
nasa
Date
07/09/1997
Location
Kennedy Space Center / Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Fire Station 2
,
28.52650, -80.67093
Source
NASA
Link
Copyright info
Public Domain Dedication (CC0)