Sep 3 1997
From The Space Library
The embattled effort to launch the Cassini spacecraft]] suffered a setback when NASA engineers discovered ripped insulation in its Huygens Probe, while the craft was sitting on the launchpad in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Investigators concluded that a ground-air-conditioner malfunction had caused the tears. The possibility of a launch delay, even for only a few days, concerned scientists, because Saturn was moving farther and farther from Earth. A longer journey to Saturn would require the spacecraft to use more fuel for transport, leaving less for scientific exploration. The Cassini Mission to Saturn had received significant public criticism because 72 pounds (33 kilograms) of plutonium the largest amount of radioactive material ever rocketed into space-powered the probe. Although protesters had organized marches and petitioned government officials to stop the launch, NASA spokesperson Douglas Isbell had pointed out NASA's perfect record of using nuclear fuel safely. Scientists from the European Space Agency and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) had planned and engineered the building of the 23rd nuclear-powered Cassini for the 11-year mission. Experts from both sides of the Atlantic were optimistic that engineers would repair the insulation damage quickly.
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