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A stratospheric balloon experiment to test the Huygens atmospheric structure instrument (HASI)

Patel, M. R.; Fulchignoni, M.; Hathi, B. +15 more

We developed a series of balloon experiments parachuting a 1:1 scale mock-up of the Huygens probe from an altitude just over 30 km to simulate at planetary scale the final part of the descent of the probe through Titan's lower atmosphere. The terrestrial atmosphere represents a natural laboratory where most of the physical parameters meet quite we…

Simulation and analysis of the revised Huygens probe entry and descent trajectory and radio link modelling

Lebreton, J. -P.; Kazeminejad, B.; Pérez-Ayúcar, M. +7 more

The Cassini spacecraft will arrive at Saturn in 2004 carrying the Huygens probe. The beginning of the Cassini tour at Saturn has been redesigned to achieve a different relative orbiter/probe geometry in order to compensate for the probe relay receiver design flaw that was discovered during tests in February 2000. This paper presents a numerical si…

Huygens/HASI 2002 balloon test campaign: Probe trajectory and atmospheric vertical profiles reconstruction

Fulchignoni, M.; Colombatti, G.; Ferri, F. +2 more

In the framework of the activities going on in preparation for the mission of the Huygens probe in Titan's atmosphere (January 2005), the Huygens Atmospheric Structure Instrument (HASI) team scheduled and performed several balloon campaigns to test the HASI sensors' performance in flight conditions in the Earth's atmosphere. In particular, pressur…