Cassini-Huygen?

Question

Why did the team have the probe make close planetary passes, other than to investigate the planets on the way by?

Answer 1

Cassini used what was called a VVEJGA (Venus Venus Earth Jupiter Gravity Assist) path to Saturn. You can read all about it here:

http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/gravity-assists.cfm

The whys are because no existing launch vehicle has the oomph to send it straight to Saturn. A lighter spacecraft could have been sent that way, but then you have less science. There is a trade between payload mass and how long you want to spend getting there (and launch costs).

Answer 2

Very simple. The gravitational pull of the planets on the probe gave it a slingshot effect, essentially throwing it into a higher velocity.

In fact, in making a close planetary pass you actually cream off some of the energy of the planet!

Answer 3

Gravitational pulls of the planets are far greater than the mass of the probe itself. If the probe wants to go to a planet/location far away, the best way would to be to go close to planets. The planets mass is large and there is a large amount of gravity. This would pull the probe to the planet, so it can turn off the gas, and the planet would do the work for it. It creates a "Slingshot Effect."

This works the same way with sailboats. They run with windpower, but if there is no wind, they won't move. If they come across a current, they won't need to rely on the wind, because a greater water force is pushing them along.

Probes run with fuel, if there is no fuel, they won't move. If they come across gravatational pull, they won't need to rely on the fuel, because a greater gravatational force is pulling them along.

Answer 4

Well the only other reason I could think of would be to speed the probe up with the gravity slingshot effect. Fly close to a planet, but don't hit is, and the gravity will accelerate your probe to higher speeds. Great way to save fuel.

Answer 5

what andrew said....