The next encounter won't be until Oct. 26, so what will Cassini be doing until then? I realize it will be in its longest orbit and will make some TCM maneuvers, but what else will it be doing?

From a science standpoint, Cassini will spend much of the time between T0 and Ta doing substantially the same types of observations you see now (i.e., remote sensing observations of the satellites, Saturn, fields and particles data collection, etc.). Note that Cassini is currently in solar conjunction from July 4-11, 2004 and is in a fairly quiescent mode (HGA pointed to Earth) during this time.

From an engineering standpoint, as you alluded to, the big event is the Periapsis Raise Maneuver (PRM) currently scheduled for August 23, 2004, which is both preceded and followed with cleanup and trim maneuvers.

Thanks Alex. I didn't realize Cassini would be doing remote observations during that time.

Yes, there are plenty of observations scheduled for the interval between T0 and Ta. The two sequences that will be operational onboard during this time, S03 and S04, are already built and have been uploaded. In fact, during S04, which goes active on September 12, 2004, the Saturn Target Working Team (TWT) plans to conduct the longest continuous near-global Saturn atmospheric campaign of the entire tour. S04 will also include ring observations and observations of 8 major satellites, as well as some low resolution imagery of Phoebe. Fields and particles and waves data will also be collected in near-continuous mode, except when the magnetometer is "muted" during Huygens Probe checkout.

Did Cassini finish playing back the data from the ring observations after SOI and the distant Titan flyby before the solar conjunction started? If so, that was quick!

I was getting ready to post a detailed response but I noticed today's Cassini Significant Events Report (for the week ending 7/9/04) says the same thing, with much fewer words:

"On-board activities this week included the successful completion of the Saturn Orbit Insertion (SOI) Critical Sequence, playback of all SOI telemetry and science data, Cassini's first Titan flyby, and acquisition of temperature and composition data for validation of the Titan atmospheric model to be used by the Huygens probe when released in December 2004."

Thanks Alex. Like I said, that was quick!

I think when it comes to the outer solar system we are all used to Galileo!

Is there documentation on the web regarding the observation schedules? The Cassini Site only gives the 'broad strokes'...

I think the Mars Rover site has jaded me, it's very well laid out and it's very easy to determine which camera was used, which filter was used, when the last update was made...

Any info on what they'll be targeting on any given day and when we can expect to see the images would be greatly appreciated.

Eric P / MizarKey

The type of documentation to which you refer is not available to the public, at least not any of which I'm aware. There are details of the science sequences during the SOP Integration/Implementation and Aftermarket phases (e.g., SPLAT, SPASS, APGEN plots, SSUP Schedule, etc.), which, when combined, give a fairly high-level description of planned observations. However, at the current time these are for Cassini internal use only.

Maybe after the targeted encounters start occurring on a regular basis, perhaps after Ta this October, the Cassini program (or more accurately, the various instrument teams) might decide to make more detailed information available to the public.

Although in German, one site that does offer the public a little more detailed Cassini/Huygens-related information is http://solarsystem.dlr.de/PG/cassini/