Overview:

In Solar Wind till June 30^th, 2004; After the Saturn Orbit Insertion on July 1^st, 2004, the spacecraft has examined the Saturn System with twelve different scientific instruments. At the end of 2004 the European Huygens Probe was separated from the Orbiter and landed on Saturn?s satellite Titan. Until the end of the nominal mission on July 1^st, 2008, the Cassini Orbiter will examine the planet Saturn itself, its rings, Titan and the other icy satellites, the magnetic field and the plasma environment for four years.

Objectives:

• Determine the three-dimensional structure and dynamic behavior of the rings of Saturn.

• Determine the composition of the satellite surface and the geological history of each object.

• Determine the nature and origin of the dark material on Iapetus?s leading hemisphere

• Measure the three-dimensional structure and dynamic behavior of the magnetosphere

• Study the dynamic behavior of the magnetosphere

• Study the time variability of Titan?s clouds and hazes

• Characterize Titan?s surface on a regional scale

Experiments:

• CIRS Composite Infrared Spectrometer

• ISS Imaging Science Subsystem

• UVIS Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph

• VIMS Visible Infrared Mapping Spectrometer

• CAPS Cassini Plasma Spectrometer

• CDA Cosmic Dust Analyzer

• INMS Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer

• MAG Magnetometer

• MIMI Magnetospheric Imaging Instrument

• RPWS Radio and Plasma Wave Science