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☖ Forums → Discussion Forum → Huygens Lands on Titan
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Huygens Lands on Titan
2005-01-14, 8:48 AM #1
The prode dispatached from Cassini on Christmas day has finally touched down and has transmitted it's data back to Cassini for it to relay it back to Earth....

Just pretty amazing that we have managed to land on a moon of a distant planet...cool eh?

links for all the updated info.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4175099.stm (general info from the Beeb)

http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.cfm (nasa's bit on Cassini-Huygens)

http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Cassini-Huygens/ (ESA, Huygens' designers page)
People of our generation should not be subjected to mornings.

Rbots
2005-01-14, 9:02 AM #2
Yep, this is pretty neat; I've been following the Cassini mission since the summer, and this is the part that I've been looking forward to the most. Hopefully we get some pics soon!
Stuff
2005-01-14, 9:07 AM #3
This is also an example of the achievements that can be made if NASA and ESA work together. One of the big limiting factors of NASA is its reluctance to ask for help from other organisations, limitation of ESA is limited funding - together, they are fantastic.
"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt. " - Bertrand Russell
The Triumph of Stupidity in Mortals and Others 1931-1935
2005-01-14, 9:33 AM #4
Ah. NASA says they will release pics later today.

/me waits.
SnailIracing:n(500tpostshpereline)pants
-----------------------------@%
2005-01-14, 9:53 AM #5
I hope the pics have a good quality. They surely could be very interesting! It's quite unlike any other place visited thus far.
Frozen in the past by ICARUS
2005-01-14, 10:12 AM #6
I first learned of this mission when I was helping teach at summer school, and the teacher found this information in a book somewhere. Since then I've actually been excited about this news. I find this sort of thing fascinating, we get to learn just a little bit more about whats out there. Can't wait for the first images to come in.
www.dailyvault.com. - As Featured in Guitar Hero II!
2005-01-14, 12:49 PM #7
Hope the pics are of desktop background quality.
Steal my dreams and sell them back to me.....
2005-01-14, 12:57 PM #8
They said that they were going to release some pics, then clean them up.
www.dailyvault.com. - As Featured in Guitar Hero II!
2005-01-14, 1:41 PM #9
awesome!!
2005-01-14, 1:46 PM #10
Yay! Finally! I've been waiting for this day for a long time.

Is it still sending data to Cassini? That would be cool, cause they only expected it to work for a few minutes. (Like the Voyagers, launched in the late 70's, theyre still sending back data.)
2005-01-14, 2:01 PM #11
woot! We got pictures!

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/main/index.html
Stuff
2005-01-14, 2:03 PM #12
I think its done sending data back. I'm not sure. The battery was supposed to last a half hour and it tripled that almost.
obviously you've never been able to harness the power of cleavage...

maeve
2005-01-14, 2:13 PM #13
Those pictures are sweet.

[http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/105738main_Crop0-H1-300-215.jpg]

Looks just like Mars, only frozen.
2005-01-14, 2:14 PM #14
I began astrophysics cos i wanted to contribute towards such endeavours as these.

Then I realised I'm as dumb as a plank, so I have immense respect for those who excell in the field, like Maeve and people at uni.

as for the titan landing, awesome.

Hope they land on europa soon!
Code:
if(getThingFlags(source) & 0x8){
  do her}
elseif(getThingFlags(source) & 0x4){
  do other babe}
else{
  do a dude}
2005-01-14, 2:19 PM #15
What they need for Europa is something that can penetrate the ice... I don't know how you could make a space probe go through a kilometer of ice though.
Stuff
2005-01-14, 2:32 PM #16
a nuke :p
Code:
if(getThingFlags(source) & 0x8){
  do her}
elseif(getThingFlags(source) & 0x4){
  do other babe}
else{
  do a dude}
2005-01-15, 10:19 AM #17
First colour pic!

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/multimedia/pia07232.html

(Oh, and a nuke isn't a bad idea either... we need some way to start getting rid of them)
Stuff
2005-01-15, 10:29 AM #18
Oh my god, did anyone see this?!

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/multimedia/huygens-2.html

It freakin' looks like earth! There's rivers and an ocean or lake!
"it is time to get a credit card to complete my financial independance" — Tibby, Aug. 2009
2005-01-15, 10:38 AM #19
Aren't those lakes and stuff filled with liquid methane or something?
[01:52] <~Nikumubeki> Because it's MBEGGAR BEGS LIKE A BEGONI.
2005-01-15, 12:47 PM #20
Quote:
Originally posted by clan ruthervain
a nuke :p


I can't help but think that a lot of people overestimate the power of a nuke.

I hope we land on Europa at some point and start drilling though, might find some nice loverly life.
Detty. Professional Expert.
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2005-01-15, 12:51 PM #21
Quote:
Originally posted by MBeggar
Aren't those lakes and stuff filled with liquid methane or something?


Yeah, I think so. Whatever it is, it's liquid at -200 degrees Fahrenheit! :p
"it is time to get a credit card to complete my financial independance" — Tibby, Aug. 2009
2005-01-15, 2:04 PM #22
very cool, it looks like a primitive earth.
I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.
2005-01-15, 5:48 PM #23
Quote:
Originally posted by DeTRiTiC-iQ
I can't help but think that a lot of people overestimate the power of a nuke.


True, but I bet a 50 MT fusion bomb could do it. Sci-fi movie writers are the worst abusers of nuclear bombs though... "sure, one nuclear missile could completely vaporize a 500-km-across alien ship..."
Stuff
2005-01-15, 5:52 PM #24
I was wondering how on earth nobody had made a topic about this yet, should have known it would be you Andy :p

This is really exciting, but I'm in two minds about the whole 'exploring the solar system' thing. Space in general fascinates me to no end, (perhaps because I grew up in London, where you're lucky to see 5 stars on a clear night!) but it seems kinda pointless. We have enough crap on our own planet to deal with, spending so much money on stuff like this feels somewhat wasteful.
<spe> maevie - proving dykes can't fly

<Dor> You're levelling up and gaining more polys!
2005-01-15, 6:13 PM #25
Its the "Just in case" policy. In case we mess up the earth, we can pack up and move.
obviously you've never been able to harness the power of cleavage...

maeve
2005-01-15, 7:10 PM #26
I don't think exploring is wasteful at all; otherwise we'd all still be stuck in Africa, or wiped out by those crafty lions, or something.

Better example: America. Bit pointless to go searching for that, really...
2005-01-15, 7:19 PM #27
Quote:
Originally posted by Matthew Pate
Better example: America. Bit pointless to go searching for that, really...


Well, there were some people there already.
2005-01-15, 8:19 PM #28
Quote:
Originally posted by maevie
I was wondering how on earth nobody had made a topic about this yet, should have known it would be you Andy :p

This is really exciting, but I'm in two minds about the whole 'exploring the solar system' thing. Space in general fascinates me to no end, (perhaps because I grew up in London, where you're lucky to see 5 stars on a clear night!) but it seems kinda pointless. We have enough crap on our own planet to deal with, spending so much money on stuff like this feels somewhat wasteful.


The difference between science and politics is that in science, money goes a long way. The limiting factor in politics is usually 'good ideas', and money is thrown at bad ideas instead. Science is, and always has been, overflowing with good ideas, and the limiting factor is funding. Yes, spending millions on space projects may seem like much, but it's nothing compared to the spending on military and social services. Politics doesn't need more money, it needs better ideas, to improve the social services and the efficiency of the military. Science always needs more money.

You can never put enough money into science.
"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt. " - Bertrand Russell
The Triumph of Stupidity in Mortals and Others 1931-1935
2005-01-15, 8:34 PM #29
Just look at the $150 billion that Bush flushed down the proverbial toilet for the war in Iraq. Do you know how many space probes could be launched for that amount of money? Hell, you could send a probe to ****ing Alpha Centauri for that kind of money.
Stuff
2005-01-15, 8:39 PM #30
Quote:
Originally posted by maevie
This is really exciting, but I'm in two minds about the whole 'exploring the solar system' thing. Space in general fascinates me to no end, (perhaps because I grew up in London, where you're lucky to see 5 stars on a clear night!) but it seems kinda pointless. We have enough crap on our own planet to deal with, spending so much money on stuff like this feels somewhat wasteful.


For the long term surival of our species we have to get the hell off this rock. If we don't **** up the earth ourselves, eventually some other force, as many times before, will do it for us. It would be a good idea if a large proportion of us is living elsewhere by then.

One thing I love about the space program is that is one of the few endeavours of the human race that looks past the next election or stockmarket results.
2005-01-15, 9:29 PM #31
http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/images/titans_secret.gif
I can't think of anything to put here right now.
2005-01-15, 9:34 PM #32
Holy crap. Have you guys heard the sound clips of Titan's wind? This is totally amazing.:eek:

btw, I guess the communication line between Cassini and Huygens was lost today.:( I hope they get it back up; I desperately want to find out more about this planet.\


here's the link.

Also, observe this pieced together panorama Huygens took during it's decent.

[http://www.space.com/images/h_huygens_panorama1_02.jpg]

and this
[http://a52.g.akamaitech.net/f/52/827/1d/www.space.com/images/v_titan_color_03.jpg]
2005-01-15, 9:42 PM #33
The wind sounds like someone turned on a giant fan, and began moving a microphone around it, closer and further away.

And the radar sounds like the old video game Excite Bike on the Nintendo.
I can't think of anything to put here right now.
2005-01-15, 11:50 PM #34
Quote:
Well, there were some people there already.


How do you think they got there? :P
2005-01-16, 5:00 AM #35
Quote:
Originally posted by THRAWN
[image]

Leeching from Maddox is a very, very bad idea...
And when the moment is right, I'm gonna fly a kite.
2005-01-16, 5:05 AM #36
Not as bad as leeching from SA.
Bassoon, n. A brazen instrument into which a fool blows out his brains.
2005-01-16, 5:40 AM #37
I think space exploration is cool but i wish technology would advance fast enough for me to witness something more spectacular happening in my lifetime.
/fluffle
2005-01-16, 6:44 AM #38
Ok, perhaps I was a tad hasty. I definitely agree that money is disproportionately distributed, Mort. Perhaps what I should have been getting at is the effort that goes into something like this, and the publicity. The idea that a polititian can use space exploration as a reason to get elected seems barmy to me when there's so much else that needs doing. It just seems like a luxury rather than a necessity, that's all.

Jaiph, you're right, if we're gonna be around much longer we do need to start colonising another planet. But don't you think it's a tad depressing that rather than instigating some of the many renewable energy and environment-friendly solutions that are available, we'd rather just destroy this one and move on? Our species are like parasites, and we have a choice about it, but of course, money is more important than the welfare of our host.
<spe> maevie - proving dykes can't fly

<Dor> You're levelling up and gaining more polys!
2005-01-16, 6:56 AM #39
Quote:
Ok, perhaps I was a tad hasty. I definitely agree that money is disproportionately distributed, Mort. Perhaps what I should have been getting at is the effort that goes into something like this, and the publicity. The idea that a polititian can use space exploration as a reason to get elected seems barmy to me when there's so much else that needs doing. It just seems like a luxury rather than a necessity, that's all.


Yes, you're right. I totally support Bush's plan to put a man on Mars, but it's certainly not a vote-worthy plan, not on its own.

The US really needs to join the Kyoto agreement, that is vote-worthy, because time is quickly running out. The deadline is 2030 - if we don't do something by 2030, we will be incurring irreversible damage. We'll probably make the Earth uninhabitable long before we can actually move to another planet.
"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt. " - Bertrand Russell
The Triumph of Stupidity in Mortals and Others 1931-1935
2005-01-16, 8:04 AM #40
Quote:
Originally posted by maevie
Jaiph, you're right, if we're gonna be around much longer we do need to start colonising another planet. But don't you think it's a tad depressing that rather than instigating some of the many renewable energy and environment-friendly solutions that are available, we'd rather just destroy this one and move on?


Oh I agree, but either way this planet and our species existence on it are doomed one way or the other. The big question is when, let's just hope we don't accelerate the process.
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