Frequently Asked Questions - Technical Information
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Frequently Asked Questions - Technical Information
- Where can I find information on Cassini's instruments?
- The Cassini spacecraft carries three radioisotope thermoelectric generators. Where can I find information about them?
- How long does it take for transmissions from Cassini to reach Earth?
Where can I find information on Cassini's instruments?
For descriptions of the instruments aboard the Cassini Orbiter, visit: http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/spacecraft/cassiniorbiterinstruments/.
For instruments aboard the Huygens Probe, see http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/spacecraft/huygensprobeinstruments/.
You'll also find links to web pages maintained by some of the science teams responsible for the instruments, and to the European Space Agency's Huygens web site.
The Cassini spacecraft carries three radioisotope thermoelectric generators. Where can I find information about them?
You'll find what you are looking for at http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/spacecraft/safety/. The quick fact sheet in the "Cassini Launch" press kit has information on the RTGs, and there is more information at the end of the document. Also check "Spacecraft Power for Cassini," which is listed under "Other Fact Sheets" on the same web page.
How long does it take for transmissions from Cassini to reach Earth?
Traveling at the speed of light, radio signals from Cassini will take one hour and 24 minutes to reach Earth when Cassini arrives at Saturn. As Saturn and Earth move in their orbits around the Sun during the course of Cassini's four-year tour, the distance between the two planets will vary and the "one way light time" will change accordingly. To read more about time's impact on communications between Cassini and Earth, visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/operations/saturn-time.cfm.
