ESA Science & Technology - Titan Fly-by - 27 March 2009

This encounter is set up with two manoeuvres: an apoapsis manoeuvre on 8 March, and a Titan approach manoeuvre, scheduled for 23 March. T51 is the fifteenth and final fly-by in a series of outbound encounters and the seventh Titan encounter in Cassini's Equinox Mission. It occurs just over five days after Saturn closest approach.

Science Highlights

• Radio Science Subsystem (RSS)
  RSS observes bistatic scattering from Titan's surface on the fly-by's outbound side. The observation probes the midnorthern latitude regions of Titan's surface (30-40°N, ~190-200° W). Same- and crosspolarized components of the quasi-specular surface echo, if detectable, provide information about the dielectric constant and physical state of the surface region probed.
• Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS)
  On T51, INMS is Prime on the fly-by's outbound leg. The observation is designed to measure the day side ionosphere, and the wake/outer flank of the magnetospheric interaction region. This pass fills in coverage of mid to high latitudes.
• Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS)
  VIMS will observe Ontario Lacus (75°S, 180°W) after the equinox and will be able to see any change from observations taken before the equinox. VIMS will also look for changes in the south pole area as it is less and less illuminated. The instrument will also monitor tropical clouds during the fly-by in an area west of Tsegihi (30-60°S, 60-100°W) at a resolution between 5 and 10 km per pixel.
• Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS)
  CIRS will perform low southern latitude limb composition sounding, in the mid and far-infrared.
• Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph (UVIS)
  UVIS will obtain an image cube of Titan's atmosphere at EUV and FUV wavelengths by sweeping its slit across the disk. These cubes provide spectral and spatial information on nitrogen emissions, hydrogen 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.
• Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS)
  ISS will acquire full-disk and global-mapping mosaics and high-resolution imaging of Titan's leading hemisphere at high southern latitudes. ISS will attempt very high-resolution imaging of the south-polar region, including Ontario Lacus, in ride-along with VIMS.
• Magnetospheric Imaging Instrument (MIMI)
  MIMI measures energetic ion and electron energy input to Titan's atmosphere.
• Dual Technique Magnetometer (MAG)
  T51 is another near-noon (10.5 h SLT), upstream flank-out fly-by, with a minimum altitude of < 1000 km, which is almost parallel to T50. Therefore, the measurements will be complementary to T50, providing a description of the draping and the pileup of the external magnetic field around Titan on the dayside hemisphere. As in the previous fly-bys, Titan could be found in the magnetosheath during T51.
• Radio and Plasma Wave Science (RPWS)
  RPWS will measure thermal plasmas in Titan's ionosphere and surrounding environment; search for lightning in Titan's atmosphere; and investigate the interaction of Titan with Saturn's magnetosphere.

Table of Events

24 March 2009

25 March 2009

26 March 2009

27 March 2009

28 March 2009

Observation Results

Cassini Instrument: Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS) 

Release Date: 27 May 2005 Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute Image Notes: Narrow-angle camera view (at 938 nm) of the southern hemisphere, revealing troposheric cloud streaks at 45°S to 55°S that are oriented east-west.
Release Date: 5 May 2005 Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute Image Notes: Wide-angle camera image of Titan, taken in violet light, revealing the upper-most atmospheric haze that appears as a halo around the large moon.