[X] My Assistant

[jasedm]

I was hoping that perhaps a umsf member could shed some light on our knowledge regarding perceived risk to Cassini from material in the Saturn system, and whether this has changed since orbit insertion.

This pertains specifically to the 'protective attitude' that Cassini is commanded to adopt during ring-plane crossings (with the high-gain antenna pointing in the direction of travel to act as a shield to the rest of the spacecraft)

This orientation obviously has costs in terms of hydrazine, data loss (ring-plane crossings are often at or near periapse, when multiple targets are within useful range) and must therefore affect command sequence-planning quite heavily

I was surprised at the low-level flybys at Enceladus, with the spacecraft in effect flying through the south-polar plumes, and also Cassini being directed through the G-ring arc (surely a largely unknown environment in terms of particles at the time) for the Aegaeon encounter.

The cosmic dust analyzer on board is perhaps less glamorous than the remote-sensing instruments, but I wonder if its data continue to indicate danger in crossing the ring plane just outside of the F ring?

Any answers much appreciated...

Jase