From: henry@spsystems.net   
      
   In article <1106451978.875328.14530@c13g2000cwb.googlegroups.com>,   
   Explorer  wrote:   
   >Henry, your response provoked the idea that maybe use of aerocapture to   
   >have Cassini end its days as a Titan Orbiter might be an interesting   
   >twist to the Cassini mission.   
      
   Cassini doesn't have a heatshield, and hence definitely isn't going to do   
   any aerocapture maneuvers.  And while slow aerobraking, a little at a   
   time, might be possible, it would take far too long when you have to wait   
   weeks between passes.   
      
   >Certainly Titan is currently a more interesting object than Saturn and   
   >its rings.   
      
   I expect there are people who would argue that point. :-)  However, there's   
   little doubt that if there were some half-feasible way of getting Cassini   
   into Titan orbit, it would be very tempting, especially for an extended   
   mission.  But I don't see any way it would be practical...   
   --   
   "Think outside the box -- the box isn't our friend."    |   Henry Spencer   
                                   -- George Herbert       | henry@spsystems.net   
      
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