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Cassini-Huygens is launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Space Launch Complex 40.
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First gravitational-assist fly-by of Venus
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Second gravitational-assist fly-by of Venus
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Gravitational-assist fly-by of Earth
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Distance: 1.6 million kilometers
Diameter of asteroid: estimated 15-20 km -
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Cassini takes the first detailed images of tiny, battered Phoebe, a small moon on the edge of the Saturn system. The images and data are gathered at a range of 2,068 kilometers (1,285 miles).
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Cassini crossed Saturn's ring plane and settled into Saturn's gravitational pull.
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The European Space Agency's Huygens probe separates from the Cassini orbiter and begins its 21 day journey to Titan.
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Cassini caps off an amazing first year with a flyby of icy Iapetus, snapping the first close-up images of the battered moon.
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Two and a half hours later it touches the surface.
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Cassini flies by within 504 kilometes
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Range: 1,010 kilometers
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Distance: 500 kilometers
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Distance: 500 kilometers
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First Radio Science bistatic and occulation observations.
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Closest approach for the Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph: took a second stellar occultation of the atmosphere at a different latitude
Closest approach for RADAR: explored a different interesting area on the surface of Titan. -
Second Radio Science bistatic and occulation fly-by
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Radar images were obtained that appeared to show lakes of liquid hydrocarbon in Titan's northern latitudes
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Cassini's orbit was rotated out of the plane of the rings due to Titan encounter
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Unplanned Enceladus and Methone flybys.
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Cassini viewed Saturn and the rings as the Sun passed behind it.
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Unplanned flyby of South Pole
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Cassini reached almost 59 degrees of inclination
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Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS) color mosaic image of Saturn looking down on the planet and its rings.
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Protective measures to ensure safe passage through an area of increased ring particle concentration. The High-Gain Antenna is used like an umbrella to shield the spacecraft.
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Protective measures to ensure safe passage through an area of increased ring particle concentration. The High-Gain Antenna is used like an umbrella to shield the spacecraft.
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Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer maps Huygens landing site
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The Cassini spacecraft enters the highest inclination orbits of the tour. In these high inclined orbits scientists will have their best opportunities to use Stellar Occultations to penetrate the B ring. And the spacecraft will be able to show views of Saturn as no one has seen it before! The rings will be spread out like a giant halo around Saturn.
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RADAR observed the Tsegihi/'Mountains'
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Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer views of south pole
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