Buck Galaxy said:
"So what about rocket fuel? That's why they had to ditch Galileo. Isn't that an issue?"
Galileo used reaction control jets to maintain attitude control. Cassini uses reaction wheels (electric motors) along with reaction control jets. So long as the RTGs are pumping out power, Cassini can maintain a proper attitude. Also Galileo's electronics were semi-fried from Jupiter's extreme radiation. Galileo wasn't supposed to survive those multiple flybys of Io but did anyway because it was over engineered. Saturn's radiation environment is much more benign than Jupiter's while Cassini's electronics are just as tough as Galileo's (probably tougher). Cassini may out live most of the people currently posting on Habitable Zone (take your age and add 30 years).
Gary
Space/Science » in reply to 30 years! Wow!
Apples and oranges