• Question: how long do probes that you send up to saturn last for?

    Asked by josh2k11 to Sheila on 20 Mar 2011 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Sheila Kanani

      Sheila Kanani answered on 20 Mar 2011:

      Hey Josh! Well it depends but I can use Cassini as an example. Cassini was made in the late 90s, took seven years to get to Saturn and has been up there, and working well, ever since 2004. Initially it was thought it would only work properly for four years, but now we have decided to keep it functioning until 2017! That is an amazingly long time! In 2017 we think we will crash Cassini into Saturn and see what happens 😀
      (The battery will never run out as it uses radioactive batteries not solar power).

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