Cassini Update - June 12, 2009

Cassini Significant Events
for 06/03/09 - 06/09/09


The most recent spacecraft telemetry was acquired
on June 9 from the Deep Space Network tracking
complex at Canberra, Australia. The Cassini
spacecraft is in an excellent state of health and
all subsystems are operating normally.
Information on the present position and speed of
the Cassini spacecraft may be found on the
"Present Position" page at:
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/presentposition/ .

Wednesday, June 3 (DOY 154)

Science observations for today were few, but ran for long durations.
Imaging Science (ISS) observed the rotation light
curve for Kiviuq, one of the satellites of
Saturn, for 10h34m. The Ultraviolet Imaging
Spectrograph (UVIS) then mosaicked Saturn's
magnetosphere for 8h, and the Magnetometer (MAG)
performed a regularly scheduled instrument calibration for 5h40m.

Friday, June 5 (DOY 156)

Late this evening Uplink Operations sent six
Instrument Expanded Block (IEB) files to the
spacecraft in support of S51. The remaining three
IEBs will go up late Sunday evening, and the
background sequence will be transmitted Wednesday
of next week. S51 begins execution on Friday, June 12.

Saturday, June 6 (DOY 157):

Today Cassini passed Titan for the T56 flyby with
closest approach at approximately 6:02 PM PDT,
traveling at 6 km/sec, an altitude of 968 km, and
latitude 32.1 degrees S. T56 provided the only
dusk side observations at mid-southern latitudes,
and the Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS)
took advantage of that, riding along with RADAR
at closest approach. It is also the only time in
the mission when the spacecraft will obtain
simultaneous coverage of the dusk side while in
the wake magnetospheric interaction region.

The RADAR instrument captured synthetic aperture
RADAR (SAR), outbound altimetry, scatterometry,
and radiometry data during this flyby. The SAR
swath ran parallel to, and partly overlapped, the
swath captured in T55, over Tortola Facula, 'the
snail', and down through Shangri-La to high southern latitudes.

The Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS)
measured distant stratospheric composition and
performed temperature mapping to search for
seasonal changes, and the Magnetospheric Imaging
Instrument (MIMI) measured energetic ion and
electron energy input to Titan's atmosphere.

The Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer
(VIMS) rode along with UVIS for a stellar
occultation that will provide information on the
composition of Titan's atmosphere, then rode
along with UVIS and CIRS to observe the south polar region.

ISS rode along with VIMS to observe eastern
Tsegihi and to monitor clouds over Titan's
trailing hemisphere at mid-southern latitudes.

UVIS observations at T56 were part of an ongoing
sequence to acquire latitude, phase angle, and
time coverage of atmospheric composition,
including Titan's haze. UVIS is a box of four
telescopes that can see ultraviolet light. There
are three slits each on the Extreme Ultraviolet
(EUV) and Far Ultraviolet (FUV) telescopes that
allow light into the instrument to be measured.
This particular flyby included a stellar
occultation and an EUV/FUV image. The instrument
obtained an image 'cube' of Titan's atmosphere at
EUV and FUV wavelengths by sweeping the slit
across the disk. These cubes provide spectral and
spatial information on nitrogen emissions, H
emission and absorption, absorption by simple
hydrocarbons, and the scattering properties of
haze aerosols. This is one of many such cubes
gathered over the course of the mission to
provide latitude and seasonal coverage of Titan's
middle atmosphere and stratosphere.

As in T55, measurements at T56 by the
Magnetometer (MAG) provided a description of the
draping and the pileup of the external magnetic
field around Titan on the night side hemisphere.
It also complemented data obtained at T52, T53,
T54 and T55 in order to characterize the
background field for a similar local time with
respect to Saturn and different Saturn Kilometric Radiation longitudes

Finally, the Radio and Plasma Wave Science
instrument measured thermal plasmas in Titan's
ionosphere and surrounding environment, searched
for lightning in Titan's atmosphere, and
investigated the interaction of Titan with Saturn's magnetosphere.

For more information on the T56 encounter, link to:
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/f...titan20090606/

An AACS Periodic Engineering Maintenance activity
occurred today. Performed every 90 days, this
activity exercised the main engine gimbal
actuators and the Reaction Wheel Assembly (RWA)
backup wheel RWA-3. For the RWA wheel, it was
commanded to +100 rpm, -100 rpm, 0 rpm, then turned back off.

Monday, June 8 (DOY 159):

Members of the Cassini Outreach team accepted a
2009 Webby Award for Best Science website from
the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences.
For more information on this award link to:
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news...lease20090506/

All participating teams submitted files today for
the second input port as part of the S54 Science Operations Plan
process.

Today was the birthday of Giovanni Domenico
Cassini, born in 1625. Cassini, namesake of the
Cassini orbiter, discovered four moons of Saturn
and the large gap in Saturn's rings, now called
the Cassini division. For more information link to:
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/photos/im...m?imageId=3533

Tuesday, June 9 (DOY 160)

Once a year, NASA honors individuals and groups
for managerial and technical excellence, and
outstanding performance on demanding projects
during the year. At a ceremony on the JPL mall
today celebrating the 2009 NASA Honor Awards, the
following nineteen Cassini teams were recognized
with group achievement awards for their support
of the Cassini Saturn Prime Mission:

Composite Infrared Spectrometer Team
Cosmic Dust Analyzer Team
Cross-Discipline Target Working Team
Imaging Science Team
Interdisciplinary Scientist Team
Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer Team
Magnetometer Team
Magnetospheric Target Working Team
Magnetospheric Imaging Instrument Team
Plasma Spectrometer Team
RADAR Team
Radio and Plasma Wave Science Team
Radio Science Team
Rings Target Working Team
Satellite Orbiter Science Team
Saturn Target Working Team
Saturn Tour Flight Team
Titan Orbiter Science Team
Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph Team
Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer Team

In addition, twelve past and current members of
the Cassini Flight Team were awarded individual
medals in recognition of their contributions to the Cassini Project.


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Visit the JPL Cassini home page for more
information about the Cassini Project:
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/