USA: NasaS Nuclear-Powered Cassini Mission Successfully Lifted Off On A Voyage To Saturn

Record ID: 3945

  • Title: USA: NasaS Nuclear-Powered Cassini Mission Successfully Lifted Off On A Voyage To Saturn
  • Date: 15th October 1997
  • Summary: NASA's controversial nuclear-powered Cassini mission successfully lifted off on October 15 on a 2.2 billion mile (3.5 billion kilometre), seven-year voyage to the ringed planet Saturn. A powerful US Air Force Titan 4B rocket carrying the 2-1/2 story, 12,500 pound (5,670 kilogram) space probe lit up the pre-dawn sky as it roared away from Cape Canaveral at 4.43 a.m. local time (0843 GMT).The launch generated protests from nuclear activists because of the 72 pounds (32.6 kilograms) of plutonium used to power its electrical systems. NASA said the risk of a radioactive release during launch was minimal. Cassini was to be released from the rocket's upper stage on to a circuitous path to Saturn about 43 minutes after blastoff. The probe was to swing by Venus twice, Earth and Jupiter for gravity-assisted boosts to reach its final goal in July 2004.The probe is due to spend four years at Saturn exploring its intricate ring system and bizarre collection of moons. The 3.4 million dollars US mission is the last of NASA's big budget planetary explorers. Cassini will release a European-built probe to descend to the surface of Saturn's largest moon Titan. Scientists believe the cloud-shrouded moon may have oceans of liquid methane.
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  • Location: USA FLORIDA CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA
  • Reuters ID: LDL00127BGSPV
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
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  • Copyright Holder: Reuters Archive
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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