Yeah. I know. Wrong planet. Wrong moon. But it's still way the hell out in the middle of nowhere, so the analogy fits.

DARMSTADT, Germany - A European space probe has landed on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan after a seven-year journey, a space official said Friday, buoying hopes that the mission could shed light on the origins of life on Earth.

Mission controllers were confident the Huygens probe made a soft landing by parachute because it was transmitting steadily long after it was to have landed, said David Southwood, the European Space Agency's science director.

"We know that it has landed based on the laws of gravity," Southwood said. "It simply cannot still be flying. It's got to be on a solid surface, and it must be soft."

Southwood later announced that the probe had relayed scientific data — expected to include pictures and atmospheric measurements — to the Cassini mother ship orbiting Saturn and the information had been transmitted back to Earth.

Applause erupted at mission control in Darmstadt in western Germany at news of the data transmission. The data are expected to shed light on what Titan's atmosphere and surface are made of — and possibly on the origins of life on Earth.

"The scientific data we are collecting now shall unveil the secrets of this new world," said Jean-Jacques Dordain, ESA's general director. "This is a fantastic success for Europe." {...}

Yeah. Well done, Europe. And I sincerely mean that.

Can't wait to see the pictures.

And I'll betcha anything that those big black thingys will be all over the place.

Posted by: Kathy at 11:52 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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1 Wouldn't it be cool if the first photo of the ESA probe's view of Titan showed a big banner reading: "Welcome to Titan, Home of the 3rd Armored Division. Hell on Wheels" or "No Taxation Without Representation" Dan

Posted by: Dan Patterson at January 14, 2005 12:15 PM (nhmvs)

2 Why, yes, Dan, it would be cool. Very cool indeed.

Posted by: Kathy at January 14, 2005 12:45 PM (sQLe5)

3 Hmmm...actually, I think that in Clark's novelization of the film, they were in orbit around Saturn when they encountered the big black thingies. But I lost my paperback some years ago, so I can't check, and I'm too lazy to Google. Anyone?

Posted by: Pious Agnostic at January 15, 2005 04:13 PM (ubR8q)

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