Landing on Titan, now in full color!
January 15, 2013 2:00 PM Subscribe
It's been just over eight years since the Hugyens space probe separated from the Cassini spacecraft and drifted down to the surface Saturn's moon Titan. Along the way it provided video and sounds of its descent.
Now a 3D visualization of its landing, based on data from the spacecraft itself, has been created.
Now a 3D visualization of its landing, based on data from the spacecraft itself, has been created.
We're comin' down hard.
It's only appropriate the probe was named after Christiaan 'Crash' Huygens.
posted by mazola at 2:15 PM on January 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
It's only appropriate the probe was named after Christiaan 'Crash' Huygens.
posted by mazola at 2:15 PM on January 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
What happens if the parachute comes down right on top of the lander and covers it up? That would suck.
posted by stargell at 2:38 PM on January 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by stargell at 2:38 PM on January 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
Breaking in half on landing would suck, too. It landed pretty hard.
posted by double block and bleed at 2:46 PM on January 15, 2013
posted by double block and bleed at 2:46 PM on January 15, 2013
I love planetary exploration, but this visualization left me cold. I'll stick with the real photos, no matter how low res and limited POV they may be.
Currently I'm ecstatic that the Pluto pics are finally coming the year after next!
posted by fairmettle at 2:48 PM on January 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
Currently I'm ecstatic that the Pluto pics are finally coming the year after next!
posted by fairmettle at 2:48 PM on January 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
Yeah, the older video link is awesome. The new 3D animation not as much.
posted by jjwiseman at 3:05 PM on January 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by jjwiseman at 3:05 PM on January 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
I totally want a Titan rover / boat / submarine in my lifetime.
posted by bottlebrushtree at 3:13 PM on January 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by bottlebrushtree at 3:13 PM on January 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
Could someone tell me what telemetry data is being mapped to those bell tones?
posted by triceryclops at 3:21 PM on January 15, 2013
posted by triceryclops at 3:21 PM on January 15, 2013
> Could someone tell me what telemetry data is being mapped to those bell tones?
Different photographic snapshots. There's a legend on the right of the telemetry screen. Each kind of photograph/sensor has it's own tone.
posted by loquacious at 3:27 PM on January 15, 2013
Different photographic snapshots. There's a legend on the right of the telemetry screen. Each kind of photograph/sensor has it's own tone.
posted by loquacious at 3:27 PM on January 15, 2013
s/Hugyens/Huygens
Although there are times I have a yen for a hug.
We're comin' down hard.
We comin' rougher?
posted by dhartung at 3:41 PM on January 15, 2013
Although there are times I have a yen for a hug.
We're comin' down hard.
We comin' rougher?
posted by dhartung at 3:41 PM on January 15, 2013
What happens if the parachute comes down right on top of the lander and covers it up? That would suck.
We'd have sent Curiosity to land next to it and pluck it off.
posted by Chutzler at 4:24 PM on January 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
We'd have sent Curiosity to land next to it and pluck it off.
posted by Chutzler at 4:24 PM on January 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
Yeah this just makes me depressed we didn't send (or even build) the Titan Mare Explorer.
posted by newdaddy at 5:34 PM on January 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by newdaddy at 5:34 PM on January 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
I can't believe NASA chose to study more damn geology on Mars, instead of being the first to study an extraterrestrial sea.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:05 PM on January 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:05 PM on January 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
Yeah, the older video link is awesome.
That is a work of art.
posted by KokuRyu at 9:28 PM on January 15, 2013
That is a work of art.
posted by KokuRyu at 9:28 PM on January 15, 2013
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posted by The Whelk at 2:02 PM on January 15, 2013