The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
Go to topicScheduled for launch in October 1997, NASA's Cassini mission will carry the ESA probe Huygens towards Saturn's intriguing moon Titan. The probe is being developed to parachute through the atmosphere of Titan and analyse pressure, temperature and chemical constituency. The probe will also send back information on the type of surface it finally encounters. This index gives an overview of the mission.
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10:00:00:00 Index Caption
10:00:07:00 Voyager-2 Saturn [NASA]
10:00:21:00 Aerospatiale Cannes, France [ESA]
10:00:32:00 Huygens in cleanroom, Dornier, Munich [ESA]
10:00:40:00 record of Christiaan Huygens' observations
10:00:49:00 Voyager 1 at Saturn [NASA animation]
10:01:09:00 Cassini releases Huygens [ESA animation]
10:01:21:00 Huygens in heat shield entering atmosphere and deploying satellites in sequence [ESA animation]
10:01:32:00 Huygens parachutes being blown by wind [ESA animation]
10:01:37:00 Cassini receives signals from Huygens [ESA animation]
10:01:46:00 Huygens descending in foggy surroundings [ESA animation]
10:02:02:00 Impression of complex molecules [ESA animation]
10:02:13:00 Huygens on parachute in clouds [ESA animation]
10:02:29:00 Huygens on parachute, lightning with thunder [ESA animation]
10:08:38:00 Huygens on parachute approaching dry ground and landing [ESA animation]
10:02:46:00 Impression of Titan with methane geysers [ESA animation]
10:03:01:00 Huygens on pa