Cassini-Huygens in the European context
Abstract
When it was selected, the Huygens probe was only the second planetary mission of ESA after the Giotto mission to Halley's comet. It has been a key element of stability for the Cassini mission, which was threatened with cancellation at several occasions. It has been a technological challenge to develop. The Huygens probe was selected in competition as a medium mission of the Horizon 2000 programme. It is unlikely that it will have a successor in the present budgetary context of ESA's science programme. It is also unlikely that it would be selected today in the framework of a programme for the exploration of the Solar System openly dedicated to the Moon and to Mars. Will Huygens be the only attempt of Europe ever to adopt bold goals and explore the Solar System beyond the orbit of Mars? The paper will also discuss this aspect of the Cassini-Huygens mission.
- Publication:
-
Titan - From Discovery to Encounter
- Pub Date:
- 2004
- Bibcode:
- 2004ESASP1278..201B
- Keywords:
-
- Space Missions;
- Cassini-Huygens;
- Planets