Cassini: The Team

Color image of a large group of people on steps in front of an 8 story building.

Meet the Cassini Team

The Cassini program was an international cooperative effort involving NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Italian space agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), as well as several separate European academic and industrial contributors. The Cassini partnership represented an undertaking whose scope and cost could not likely be borne by any single nation, and was made possible through shared investment and participation.

In the United States, the mission was managed for NASA's Office of Space Science by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Pasadena, California. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology. At JPL, Earl Maize was the Cassini program manager. Linda J. Spilker was the Cassini project scientist and Scott. G. Edgington was the deputy project scientist.

Color image of a large group of people on steps in front of an 8 story building.
Cassini team members wave for a group photograph.
NASA/JPL-Caltech

At NASA Headquarters, Bill Knopf was Cassini program executive and Curt Niebur was Cassini program scientist.

The major U.S. contractor was Lockheed Martin, whose contributions include the launch vehicle and upper stage, spacecraft propulsion module and the radioisotope thermoelectric generators.

Development of the Huygens Titan probe was managed by the European Space Technology and Research Center. The center's prime contractor, Aerospatiale (now Alcatel) in Cannes, France, assembled the probe with equipment supplied by many European countries. Huygens' batteries and two scientific instruments came from the United States.

At ESA, Nicolas Altobelli was the project scientist. At ASI, Enrico Flamini was the project manager for Cassini's radio antenna and other contributions to the spacecraft.

The U.S. Department of Energy provided Cassini's radioisotope thermoelectric generators.

Cassini/Huygens Program Organization

Thousands of people worked to build and launch Cassini and carry it through its long mission from 1997 to present. Here are some of the people who worked on the operations team:

Program Manager: Earl Maize

Project Scientist: Linda J. Spilker

Deputy Project Scientist: Scott. G. Edgington

European Space Agency Project Scientist: Nicolas Altobelli

Italian Space Agency (ASI) Representative: Enrico Flamini

Resource Management: Patricia Ramirez

M. Caranza and J. Rowley

Deep Space Network Mission Interface Manager: Stefan Waldherr

Program Outreach: Alice Wessen

Phil Davis, Bill Dunford, Enrico Piazza, Jay R. Thompson and Rachel Zimmerman-Brachman.

Mission Assurance: Nazilla Rouse

Science Communication Coordination: Preston Dyches

Mission Planning: Erick J. Sturm II

M. Bittner and D. Seal

Real Time Operations: David Doody

G. Eller, S. Hilabrand, W. Hoffman, W. Mogensen, M. Orr, M. Staab and A Vaughs

System Engineering / CM: Julia Henricks and Luis Morales

S. Payan and S. Chatterjee

Administrative Services: Carmen Vetter

R. Austin, K. Chan, N. Knadzhyan, M. Martin, M. Weisenfelder and V. Villa

Downlink Ground System and SA: Tammy Fujii

M. Arias, O. Castillo, C. Crodel, E. Gillingham, C. Lush, A. Mirabel, N. Patel, G. Razo and R. Sumagaysay

Spacecraft Operations Office

Julie L. Webster

Propulsion: Todd Barber

C. Garner and A. Mitchell

Telecom: A. Thomas

J. Shell

Power: Jonathan Grandidier

Thermal Devices: William Ledeboer

B. Marshall

Command & Data Subsystem: P. Morgan

S. Adamiak, D. Beach and L. Tatge

Integrated Test Lab: K. Baldaruddin

J. Hernandez, C. Huynh and C. Sagoian

Systems: L. Burke

M. Bittner, J. Glibert, C. Kirby, M. Mizukami and K. Naviaux

Attitude Control: T. Burk

L. Andrade, D. Bates, T. Brown, A. Lee, C. Lee, F. Rizvi, J. Stupik, T. Sung and E. Wang

Navigation Team

Duane Roth

Maneuver & Trajectory: Y. Hahn

S. Hernandez-Doran, F. Laipert, P. Valerino, M. Vaquero, S. Wagner and M. Wong

Orbit Determination: Julie Bellerose

D. Boone, K. Criddle, R. Ionasecu, R. Jacobson, K. Kelleher, W. Owen and Z. Tarzi

Software Development: I. Roundhill

System Administration: R. Beswick

Science & Uplink Office

Kathryn Weld

Project Science and System Engineering: Nora Alonge and Morgan Cable (Asst.)

Mission Sequencing Subsystem Team: Diane Conner and David Tong (Deputy)

J. Boyer, J. Castello, S. Fleischer, U. Guduri, W. Kaye, S. Payan and S. Petrosian

Science Planning & Sequencing Team: William Heventhal and Trina Ray (Deputy)

SIP Leads: J. Berkeley, R. Boehmer, S. Boll, S. Brooks, K. Cloutier, E. Eelkema-Stough, S. Goo, K. Kelleher, E. Kowalski, J. Pitesky, K Uchida and N. Vandermey

Investigation Scientists: A. Anabtawi (RSS IS), B. Buratti (VIMS IS), M. Burton (MAPS IS), S. Edginton (CIRS IS), R. Lopes (RADAR IS) and S. Brooks (UVIS IS)

Science Integration Engineers: J. Berkeley (TOST), R. Boehmer (TOST), S. Boll (Saturn), S. Brooks (Rings), B. Buratti (SOST), M. Burton (TOST, MAPS), K. Cloutier (Saturn), S. Goo (Maps, XD), K. Kelleher (MAPS), E. Kowalski (XD), K. Mitchell (TOST), S. Perl (MAG), K. Perry (XD, Rings), J. Pitesky (TOST), T. Ray (TOST), M. Roy (TOST), N. Vandermey (SOST, Rings, MAPS) and B. Wallis (Rings)

Deep Space Network Schedulers: R. Espinueva and K. Yetter

Instrument Operations Team: Luis Morales

Task Managers: C. Acton (NAIF/SPICE), A Anabtawi (RSS) and Y. Anderson (RADAR)

System Engineers: P. Andres (GDS) and J. Henricks (O/MPL)

MIPL Support: S. Chattergee (MIPL Test), G. Earle (SA), P. Lee (I&T), C. To (I&T, ISS, VIMS, DBA, PE-1, DBA ISS Reconcill), L. Ly-Hollins (R/TOPS), F. Loaiza (Linux DBA), B. Stromberg (HW Engineer) and A. Tinio (MIPL, DBA).

Ops Engineers: A. Anabtawi (RSS), Y. Anderson (RADAR), P. Andres (DOC), E. Barbins (RSS), H. Breneman (ISS, SI, VIMS), D. Buccino (RSS), J. Gerhard (ISS, VIMS), G. Hamilton (RADAR), V. Hammerle (ISS/VIMS), J. Henricks (B/U, DOC), D. Kahan (RSS), K. Kelleher (RADAR, PDT Designer), S. Kwan (DOC), F. Loaiza (ISS, VIMS), L. Ly-Hollins (SI, ISS), M. Roy (CDA), A. Rinion (EK. CATS, NAIRSPICE), C. Veeramachaneni (RADAR), R. West (RADAR) and J. Yoshimizu (ISS/VIMS)

Program Science Archive: S. Chatterjee

Cassini Participating Scientists (by selection year)

2011

Alberto Adriani, Carrie Anderson, Jason Barnes, Gianrico Filacchione, Matthew Hedman (also 2014), Brigette Hesman (also 2014), Carly Howett, Ozgur Karatekin, Panayotis Lavvas, Carol Paty, Paul Schenk, Jason Soderblom (also 2014)

2012

Caitlin Griffith, Alex Hayes (also 2014), Henrik Melin, Francis Nimmo, Christopher Parkinson, Mark Perry, Joseph Spitale (also 2014), Matthew Tiscareno (also 2015), Ann Verbiscer

2013

Tilmann Denk, Tommi Koskinen, Giuseppe Mitri, (Gerald) Wesley Patterson, Darci Snowden, Federico Tosi, Veronique Vuitton

2014

Sarah Badman, Has Cao, Carolyn Ernst, Alex Hayes (also 2012), Matthew Hedman (also 2011), Brigette Hesman (also 2011), Liming Li, Jason Soderblom (also 2011), Joseph Spitale (also 2012)

2015

Luke Moore, Matthew Tiscareno (also 2012), Hsiang-Wen (Sean) Hsu, Jonathan Fortney

Also see: Meet the team at the European Space Agency Cassini-Huygens site.

The Cassini Orbiter

Explore the spacecraft and science instruments that have been delivering outstanding science from the Saturnian system since 2004.

The Huygens Probe

Principal Investigators, Team Leads and Interdisciplinary Scientists

Principal Investigator: J. Hunter Waite

U.S. Co-Investigators: Scott J. Bolton, James L. Burch, Frank Crary, Raymond Goldstein, Thomas W. Hill, Robert E. Johnson, David J. McComas, Edward C. Sittler Jr., Michelle Thomsen, David Young

International Co-Investigators: Jean-Jacques Berthelier, Michel Blanc, Andrew J. Coates, Manuel Grande, Knut R. Svenes, Karoly Szego

Principal Investigator: F. Michael Flasar

Deputy Principal Investigator: Conor Nixon

U.S. Co-Investigators: Mian M. Abbas, Richard K. Achterberg, Carrie M. Anderson, Gordon L. Bjoraker, John C. Brasunas, Peter J. Gierasch, Brigette E. Hesman, Carly Howett, Donald E. Jennings, Virgil G. Kunde (Original PI), Glenn S. Orton, Tobias Owen, John C. Pearl, Paul N. Romani, Robert E. Samuelson, Mark Showalter, Amy A. Simon, John Spencer, Linda J. Spilker

International Co-Investigators: Peter A. R. Ade, M. Antonella Barucci, Bruno Bezard, Simon B. Calcutt, Regis Denis Courtin, Athena Coustenis, Cecile Ferrari, Leigh N. Fletcher, Thierry Fouchet, Daniel Gautier, Sandrine Guerlet, Patrick Irwin, Emmanuel Lellouch, Andre Marten, Renee Prange, Francois Raulin, Peter L. Read, Fredric Taylor, Nicolas A. Teanby, Sandrine Vinatier

Principal Investigator: Ralf Srama

U.S. Co-Investigators: Siegfried Auer, Thomas Economou, Torrence V. Johnson, Mihaly Horanyi, Sascha Kempf

International Co-Investigators: Nicolas Altobelli, H. Fechtig, M. Grande, Eberhard Gruen, Ove Havnes, Eduard Igenbergs, Elmar Jessberger, H. Krüger, Phillipe Lamy, Franz Lura, J. Anthony M. McDonnell, Dietrich Möhlmann, Gregor E. Morfill, Ernst Pernicka, Frank Postberg, Juergen Schmidt, Gerhard Schwehm, F. Spahn, Jiri Svestka, Richard Wasch

Principal Investigator: Carolyn C. Porco

Deputy Principal Investigator: Robert A. West

U.S. Team Members: Joseph Burns, Anthony Del Genio, H. Luke Dones, Andrew Ingersoll, Torrence Johnson, Alfred McEwen, Steven Squyres, Peter Thomas, Joseph Veverka

International Team Members: Carl Murray

Principal Investigator: J. Hunter Waite

U.S. Co-Investigators: Thomas E. Cravens, Wayne Kasprzak, Janet G. Luhmann, Ralph L. McNutt Jr., Roger V. Yelle

International Co-Investigators: Wing-Huen Ip

Principal Investigator: Michele Dougherty

U.S. Co-Investigators: Christopher T. Russell, Edward J. Smith, Krishan Khurana

International Co-Investigators: Nicholas Achilleos, Andre Balogh, Emma Bunce, Stanley W.H. Cowley, Geza Erdos, Karl-Heinz W. Glassmeier, Fritz M. Neubauer, David Southwood

Principal Investigator: Don Mitchell

U.S. Co-Investigators: Thomas P. Armstrong, James Carbary, George Gloeckler, Douglas C. Hamilton, Stamatios Krimigis, Lou Lanzerotti, Barry H. Mauk, Chris Paranicas, Edmond C. Roelof

International Co-Investigators: Denis Alcayde, Jean-Michel Bosqued, Ioannis Jean Dandouras, Wing-Huen Ip, Norbert Krupp, Andreas Lagg, Stefano Livi, Henri Reme, Jean-Andre Sauvaud

Team Lead: Charles Elachi

Deputy Team Lead: Stephen D. Wall

U.S. Team Members: Michael Allison, Michael A. Janssen, Randolph L. Kirk, Ralph D. Lorenz, Jonathan Lunine, Larry Soderblom, Charles Wood, Howard Zebker

International Team Members: Pierre J. Encrenaz, Giorgio Franceschetti, Giovanni Picardi, Francesco Posa, Roberto Seu, Sergio Vetrella

Principal Investigator: William S. Kurth

Deputy Principal Investigator: Donald A. Gurnett

U.S. Co-Investigators: George B. Hospodarsky, William M. Farrell, Robert J. MacDowall, J. Douglas Menietti, Ann M. Persoon

International Co-Investigators: Rolf Bostrom, Patrick Canu, Baptiste Cecconi, Nicole Cornilleau-Wehrlin, Georg Fischer, Patrick Galopeau, Georg Gustafsson, Laurent Lamy, Alain Lecacheux, Philippe Louarn, Ronan Modolo, Michiko Morooka, Arne Pedersen, Jan-Erik Wahlund, Philippe Zarka

Principal Investigator: Richard French

U.S. Team Members: John W. Armstrong, F. Michael Flasar, Essam A. Marouf, Andrew F. Nagy

International Team Members: Luciano Iess, Paolo Tortora

Principal Investigator: Larry W. Esposito

U.S. Co-Investigators: Joseph M. Ajello, Joshua E. Colwell, Candice J. Hansen, Amanda R. Hendrix, William E. McClintock, Wayne R. Pryor, Donald E. Shemansky, A. Ian F. Stewart, Robert A. West, Yuk L. Yung

International Co-Investigators: H. Uwe Keller, Ralf Reulke

Principal Investigator: Bob Brown

U.S. Team Members: Kevin H. Baines, Bonnie J. Buratti, Roger Clark, Dale P. Cruikshank, Dennis L. Matson, Thomas McCord, Robert Nelson, Philip D. Nicholson

International Team Members: Giancarlo Bellucci, Jean-Pierre Bibring, Fabrizio Capaccioni, Priscilla Cerroni, Pierre Drossart, Ralf Jaumann, Yves Langevin, Bruno Sicardy, Christophe Sotin

Orbiter: Aeronomy & Solar Wind

Interdisciplinary Scientist: Darrell F. Strobel

Orbiter: Atmospheres

Interdisciplinary Scientist: Tobias C. Owen

Orbiter: MAPS

Interdisciplinary Scientists: Tamas I. Gombosi and Norber Krupp

Orbiter: Rings & Dust

Interdisciplinary Scientist: Jeffrey N. Cuzzi

Orbiter: Satellites

Interdisciplinary Scientist: Laurence A. Soderblom

Orbiter: Saturn

Interdisciplinary Scientist: Andy Ingersoll

Huygens: Titan Organic Chemistry

Interdisciplinary Scientist: Francois Raulin

Huygens: Titan Aeronomy

Interdisciplinary Scientist: Daniel Gautier

Huygens: Titan Atmosphere & Surface

Interdisciplinary Scientist: Jonathan I. Lunine

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