On 15 Jan 2005 04:25:51 -0800, "Gil"
wrote:

Would be a tough mission - would probably require an orbiter and a
lander - can't imagine that a lander alone would be powerful enough to
directly relay data to earth. Cassini captured data only until it was
over the horizon from the lander's viewpoint.

Sounds like a job for the second nuclear-powered Prometheus mission
after the first one is sent to Jupiter. I can only guess how many
eco-anarchists will try to kill that mission though.

It also possible that Cassini, with it's RTGs and reaction wheel
control system, may survive long enough to act as relay for another
Titan lander (preferably a balloon probe since the thick atmosphere
and haze makes detailed orbital study of the surface at 1 kilometer
per pixel resolution difficult...there appear to be a lot of channels
down there that I think a rover would have trouble getting across).

-Drew