# Cassini lands on Titan Friday **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 11, 2005, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassini-lands-on-titan-friday/284253 "2005-01-11T19:05:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassini-lands-on-titan-friday/284253/61 "2005-01-14T23:06:42Z")
> [@vibrotronica](#): > > I’ve got nothing productive to add except “whoopee!” > > I remember being a kid staying up after my bedtime watching the Voyager images from Saturn come down a line at a time on PBS. Today, I’m in front of a broadband internet connection dodging my employer, but the feeling is the same! > > Well, almost the same. I’m old enough to remember a similar thrill in 1957 when Sputnik went up. Turned on my ham receiver and heard “beep…beep…beep…” No video, no digital color pictures, no infrared cameras, no pressure sensors, so solar wind detectors, no uplinks, no downlinks, no web sites, no cosmic-ray amalgimators, no death rays, no remote-controlled probes, no nothing. Only “Beep…beep…beep…” And it was exciting! Just think! Man (yeah, the Ruskis, but still mankind) actually had launched something into space and it was orbiting the planet very 90 minutes! Whoopee! Nowdays I could probably do the same thing with a $99 satellite/rocket kit from Toys R Us. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassini-lands-on-titan-friday/284253/62 "2005-01-15T00:34:52Z")
[http://homepage.mac.com/lyford/j/raw/](http://homepage.mac.com/lyford/j/raw/)_._.html ---
**Author:** ![drewbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drewbert/32/15890_2.png) [@drewbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewbert)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassini-lands-on-titan-friday/284253/63 "2005-01-15T01:12:48Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > On second thought, maybe “smashing” success is the wrong choice of words… 😉 Save that line for the Deep Impact mission. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassini-lands-on-titan-friday/284253/64 "2005-01-15T01:47:20Z")
Is anyone else just flat-out gobsmacked by the basic reality of the circumstances ofthis mission? Human beings built a machine, crossed their fingers, and flung it out into an inconceivably huge void, and years later it falls on an infinitesimal rock and beams back a stream of photographs and other information, which arrive back here on Earth over an hour after being transmitted, and which any ordinary peon anywhere on the planet can peruse at leisure on our personal computer screens as long as they have web access? Is it the future yet, mommy? ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassini-lands-on-titan-friday/284253/65 "2005-01-15T01:49:29Z")
Apologies for the unforgivably long sentence, the shitty grammar, and the mangling of pronouns. Got, uh, a bit carried away. :o ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassini-lands-on-titan-friday/284253/66 "2005-01-15T01:54:04Z")
Sweet! And it worked just SO right. Count me in as another one who got that feeling all over again. Way to go, ESA and NASA, ya done good. > [@Tuckerfan](#): > > What about the mic? I wanna hear some Titanian going: :::tap::: :::tap::: :::tap::: Is this thing on? :::tap::: :::tap::: :::tap::: “Don’t get any closer, \*ß¡¶D!” “Why” “It’s one’a dem alien vessel things!” “What, a Flying Q¿6«çw Pot? Don’t be silly!” " No, they’re real! One of them landed in Mr. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassini-lands-on-titan-friday/284253/67 "2005-01-15T02:03:09Z")
Sweet! And it worked just SO right. Count me in as another one who got that feeling all over again. Way to go, ESA and NASA, ya done good. > [@Tuckerfan](#): > > What about the mic? I wanna hear some Titanian going: :::tap::: :::tap::: :::tap::: Is this thing on? :::tap::: :::tap::: :::tap::: “Don’t get any closer, \*ß¡¶D!” “Why” “It’s one’a dem alien vessel things!” “What, a Flying Q¿6«çw Pot? Don’t be silly!” " No, he’s right, they’re real, dude! Mr. 3çþy¤Xez says one landed behind his home and some alien things like grabbed him and they took him in and put a probe in his |‘q«¤4ð!" "Oh, please, you know how Mr. 3çþy¤Xez’ likes to hit the Qu&³©€ juice. It’s probably a weather balloon…" " Oh yeah, sure that’s what the officials of the High Safety Ministry always tell us…" ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassini-lands-on-titan-friday/284253/68 "2005-01-15T02:08:12Z")
:smack: And obviously, THAT technology works much better than this one. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassini-lands-on-titan-friday/284253/69 "2005-01-15T02:13:57Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > :smack: > And obviously, THAT technology works much better than this one. I’d say that this one works better than the Mars Polar Lander. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassini-lands-on-titan-friday/284253/70 "2005-01-15T02:29:06Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > Got, uh, a bit carried away. :o Completely understandable, my dear man. When did this probe launch? Seven years ago? That was 1999? I am thrilled. I am in awe at our intelligence and potential. I am verklempt at our ability to reach for the stars and land on distant worlds. I am pleased as punch at the success. I am overwhelmed at our accomplishments. I think I’m going to cry. ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassini-lands-on-titan-friday/284253/71 "2005-01-15T08:27:07Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > And they’re apparently seas of liquid natural gas (methane)? > > If we can get the oil industry behind this, we’ll have a kickass space program in no time! Why not? They already want to drill in Alaska. This is only about twice as cold and it’s all just floating there, no drilling! ---
**Author:** ![Spree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@Spree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spree)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassini-lands-on-titan-friday/284253/72 "2005-01-15T15:43:47Z")
We have [sound](http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM85Q71Y3E_index_0.html)! And [color](http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMTKR71Y3E_index_0.html)! Titan appears to be pale orange. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassini-lands-on-titan-friday/284253/73 "2005-01-15T15:55:19Z")
…and I have a new desktop picture. Thanks, **Spree**! ---
**Author:** ![Kaboodle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8edcca/32.png) [@Kaboodle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaboodle)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassini-lands-on-titan-friday/284253/74 "2005-01-15T16:46:41Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Completely understandable, my dear man. > > When did this probe launch? **Seven** years ago? That was **1999**? It looks like a few people are getting carried away… …or maybe you can tell us what it’s like in 2006. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kaboodle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8edcca/32.png) [@Kaboodle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaboodle)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassini-lands-on-titan-friday/284253/75 "2005-01-15T16:49:14Z")
Ooops. I wanted to add this. From the ESA website: **Launch:** 15 October 1997 (Titan-IVB/Centaur at Cape Canaveral, United States). ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassini-lands-on-titan-friday/284253/76 "2005-01-15T17:24:28Z")
Those channel things are _fricken’ awesome_. Compare the [channels on Titan](http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/multimedia/huygens-2.html) to [valley](http://cmex-www.arc.nasa.gov/CMEX/data/MarsEssy/channels/nirgal.gif) [networks](http://cmex-www.arc.nasa.gov/CMEX/data/MarsEssy/channels/net2.gif) on Mars. I’m _slightly_ disappointed that it didn’t land in a lake. But only slightly. 🙂 How cool is it to get a bug’s-eye view of the surface, when only a few days ago we were limited to a few glimpses through the clouds! Bravo! _Round of applause for ESA and NASA_ ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassini-lands-on-titan-friday/284253/77 "2005-01-15T20:50:04Z")
I’ve come to talk with you again Because a vision softly creeping Left its seeds while I was sleeping And the vision that was planted in my brain Still remains Within the [sound of Titan](http://planetary.org/sounds/huygens_sounds.html) ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassini-lands-on-titan-friday/284253/78 "2005-01-15T21:13:53Z")
Big ass 13 meg zip file of the images can be found [here.](http://www.its.caltech.edu/~neilh/huygens/huygens_image_triplets_separated.zip) And whoever thought that Titan would be [orange?](http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Cassini-Huygens/SEMC8Q71Y3E_0.html) ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassini-lands-on-titan-friday/284253/79 "2005-01-15T21:21:57Z")
I have to admit, while listening to the sound file of Huygens descending through the atomosphere of Titan, I was reminded not so much of wind as jumping randomly from one broadcastless channel on a radio to another to listen to the different varieties of white noise I might discover. I heard a reference on NPR to “wind”, which I assume would mean something differed in some segment of the recordings to suggest a coherent directional movement of gasses past the descending Huygens other than what one would expect of a microphone dropped into dead air. My ears could detect no such variation, as I alluded, but I lack training and analytical tools to discern such a thing at any fine level. Or, perhaps, there’s another sound file I haven’t heard yet? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassini-lands-on-titan-friday/284253/80 "2005-01-15T23:02:27Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > Is anyone else just flat-out gobsmacked by the basic reality of the circumstances ofthis mission? Human beings built a machine, crossed their fingers, and flung it out into an inconceivably huge void, and years later it falls on an infinitesimal rock and beams back a stream of photographs and other information, which arrive back here on Earth over an hour after being transmitted, and which any ordinary peon anywhere on the planet can peruse at leisure on our personal computer screens as long as they have web access? > > Is it the future yet, mommy? Yah. My Dad is no spaceflight supporter, but he was really blown away by this idea. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassini-lands-on-titan-friday/284253.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassini-lands-on-titan-friday/284253.md?page=5)