ESA TV: Cassini-Huygens Saturn Orbit Insertion
Tonight, the Cassini-Huygens mission will enter into orbit around Saturn after firing its main engine during a 96-minute burn. The ESA TV Service will provide live coverage of this critical operation:
1 JULY 2004 – 01:35-06:00 GMT – LIVE: Cassini-Huygens Saturn Orbit Insertion
The programme will include live images from mission control, live audio commentary, live comment by ESA experts at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena and in Brussels, and background video tape inserts.
The transmission is broken down into five segments:
01:35-02:10 GMT Segment A: First Ring Plane Crossing – Status and background information on tonight’s operations and Cassini-Huygens science.
02:35-03:20 GMT Segment B: During the Engine Burn – Following the Doppler radio signal to verify that the automatic burn is proceeding as programmed
03:45-04:35 GMT Segment C: Closest Approach to Saturn – Telemetry resumes and Cassini-Huygens reports back to Earth on its status
04:45-05:00 GMT Segment D: ESA Reactions from JPL – Night’s Summary with a statement by ESA Director of Science, David Southwood
05:00-06:00 GMT Segment E: Press Briefing from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory
1 JULY 2004 – 08:30-09:00 GMT – Post-event VNR: Cassini-Huygens in Orbit around Saturn, including atmo shots recorded with an ENG camera at the JPL of events during the night.
After Saturn Orbit Insertion, Cassini-Huygens will observe Saturn and its rings, and download this data to Earth in the afternoon of 1 July.
1 JULY 2004 – 17:00-18:00 GMT – LIVE: Press Briefing on Cassini/Huygens First Saturn Observations and Images
For further information, please go to http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Cassini-Huygens/index.html
The transmission parameters for all transmissions on 1 July are:
Eutelsat W1 at 10 degrees East
Transponder B4, vertical, upper channel 3
F=11.0975 MHz, SR=5.632 MS/sec, FEC=3/4
Please note that the frequency is not the same than on 30 June.
For further information and a daily update of the transmission schedule, visit our website at http://television.esa.int. For all enquires, contact Claus Habfast, Tel +31 71 565 3838, Fax +31 71 565 6340, e-mail claus.habfast@esa.int.
