University space probe instrument records particle hits near
EnceladusBy Steve Koppes An instrument designed and built at the
University for the Cassini space probe has discovered dust
particles around Enceladus, an ice-covered moon of Saturn with
the distinction of being the most reflective object in the solar
system. The particles could indicate the existence of a dust
cloud around Enceladus, or they may have originated from
Saturn’s largest ring, the E-ring. “We are operating on the
plane of the E-ring, and things are very complicated there,”
said Thanasis Economou, a Senior Scientist at the University’s
Enrico Fermi Institute who monitors the performance of the
instrument. “It will take a few more flybys” to determine the
origin of Enceladus’ dust cloud, Economou added. The National
Aeronautics and Space Administration launched Cassini, an
international mission involving 17 nations, in October 1997.
Last July, after a journey of 2.2 billion miles, Cassini became
the first spacecraft to orbit Saturn. The d