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> Cassini Saturn probe preflight testing

Cassini Saturn probe preflight testing

author: NASA/Novapix

reference: e-son15-00002

Image Size 300 DPI: 25 * 28 cm

The Cassini Saturn probe undergoes vibration and thermal testing at the JPL facilities in Pasadena, California. It is subjected to weeks of "shake and bake" tests that imitate the forces and extreme temperatures the spacecraft will experience during launch and spaceflight. Cassini's mission is to orbit Saturn for four years and study the planet, its rings and moons in detail. The large moon Titan is a principal target for exploration, and Cassini will carry the Huygens probe, (gold-mylar circular object seen here mounted on the front of the spacecraft) to be released to enter Titan's thick atmosphere and descend to the surface via parachute. October 31, 1996 
Cassini-Huygens was launched from the earth on october 15 1997 and is orbiting Saturn system from july 1st 2004.

Keywords for this photo:

1996 - CASSINI - HUMAN - HUYGENS - JET PROPULSION LABORATORY - SATURN - SPACE - SPACE CENTER - SPACECRAFT - SPACEPROBE - TEST -