Mission to Saturn

by David M. Harland

"In Mission to Saturn, David Harland reviews the exploration of Saturn, from the discoveries of the early astronomers through telescopes to the robotic probes and fly-bys of the late 1970s and early 1980s. He then goes on to place our present knowledge in the context of the Cassini-Huygens mission, which is due to enter orbit around Saturn in 2004. This joint US/European venture will make a four-year orbital tour of the Saturnian system, with one highlight being the descent of the Huygens Probe into the atmosphere of Titan, the largest of the system's satellites which - possibly - is laced with the complex molecules which, on Earth, were the precursors to life." "The author explains how the mission was planned, how it will operate and how its observations will revolutionise our knowledge and understanding of the Saturnian system."--BOOK JACKET.