Earth based radio telescopes were able to confirm the presence of the
Huygens radio carrier signal during descent. The signal strength was
much too small for the radio telescope to obtain the telemetry portion of
the signal.

I don't know if the missing pictures could have been sent on Channel B,
but once Cassini went beyond the horizon the data transfer was at an end,
that is, the extra battery life was a non-issue.


Could on board systems be rigged
to cross talk and send the pictures lost
by the drop out of [channel] A (?)