The Huygens Probe being transported by the Cassini spacecraft – it's as big as a bus! Click to enlarge.

The Cassini spacecraft is the first to explore Saturn, its rings and its moons from orbit.  It was launched in 1997 and arrived in orbit around Saturn seven years later. It was a long journey.

Cassini carried the European Space Agency's Huygens Probe all the way from Earth and on arrival launched it into Titan's thick atmosphere. Now instruments on both spacecraft are providing scientists with vital data and the best views ever of this mysterious, vast region of our solar system. 

Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute.

This picture was made by the Cassini spacecraft as it approached Saturn in 2004. Click it to see it full size.

The mission to get these pictures cost over $ 3,000 million to launch - this section addresses the question "Is it worth the cost?"

How much does it cost to go into space?

Bookmark this page

Text equivalent:

Cost of knowledge

The cost of running NASA is currently running at 16,000 million dollars per year. The European Space Agency's budget is roughly 3,000 million euros a year. Is the knowledge gained worth it?

 DISCUSSION STARTER

Talking
heads
Worksheet