Science a GoGo's Home Page Forums General Discussion General Science Discussion Forum My Worries upon the Huygens Probe

I cant help worrying about the European Space Agency's Huygens Probe, released from the side of its mothership Cassini, the other day. Its due to land on 14 Jan.
My worry is that it had the same spring release mechanism as the ill fated Mars lander. We all know what happened to that....it released, but obviously crashed/smashed upon landing. No reason being given as to why?
I would like to venture a possible scenario, as to why the Mars probe was not heard of again after being released, a scenario perfectly in keeping with the possibility that the Huygens probe could fail for the same reason.

The spring release was designed to impart a spin
to both the Mars probe and Huygens. It is my contention that a spring spin does not give out enough energy to keep the probe spinning until it reaches Titans atmosphere. The probe is required to spin until its parachute is deployed, to stop entanglement.
Since the atmosphere of Titan is a lot thicker than that of Mars, and the probe it a lot larger than the one released down to Mars. It is more liable to stop spinning.....something I believe happened with the Mars probe.
Now the(larger) Huygens front ablation shield is 7 feet in diameter, a 60 degree half-angle conical spherical surface that has been imparted with a very low mechanical spin.
It is entirely possible that should its spin slow to a stop, the probe would eventually execute a series of fast, 'to and fro loops' thru Titans atmosphere as it came down.
The loops or sway, would be very similar to what a saucer or chinese wok, would execute all the way down to the bottom of a swimming pool full of water, it they were dropped edge down.

The Intrumentation packet inside the conical shield, would impart just about the correct centre of gravity for the shield to gointo 'loop' mode. The very high winds and fast moving clouds, might be made up of a methane slush, since the triple point of methane is about -180 degrees below zero. Further frustrating the European Space Agency hope for a successful landing.
Not forgetting that Huygens has to keep spinning for another 11 days.
Seems it needs all the luck it can get

You wrote "It is my contention that a spring spin does not give out enough energy to keep the probe spinning until it reaches Titans atmosphere."

I would be interested in your comments on what force/s will slow the spin BEFORE it reaches the drag imparted by the Titan atmosphere?

Same comment Mike: Only friction can stop the spinning.

But I am fascinated as to why you would think the spring release would not impart enough energy.

In the near vacuum of space the amount of energy required to sping something is directly related to its mass. Add more energy and it will spin faster.

Prehaps I should have said:-"....does not give out enough energy to keep the probe spinning WHEN it reaches Titans atmosphere."
But I did qualify the idea, in the next sentence, when I stated. "The probe is required to spin until it's parachute is deployed,....."
To deploy within an atmosphere is crucial to the
sucess of Huygens.
But I take your pedantic point, my mistake.
I am sure you get the general idea.

I entirely agree. Unfortunately this answer is wrapped up with my belief that the spring might not impart enough rotational energy. Since we do not know what the state of Titans Mesosphere (the
area above its Stratosphere) There could be micro-scopic particles associated with the ring system of Saturn within Titans Mesophere. Friction that would cause Huygens spin to slow, even faulter. The probe has to remain spinning for a full 11 days, as it circles around Titan ever lower. The effect of high winds, dust, and thick clouds lower down in the Titans main atmosphere, may reach up far higher than expected, to produce a slowing friction.

[QUOTE/D A Morgan]
But I am fascinated as to why you would think the spring release would not impart enough energy. In the near vacuum of space the amount of energy required to sping something is directly related to its mass. Add more energy and it will spin faster. [/QB][/QUOTE]

Unfortunately you cannot add more rotational energy once the probe has detached. Mores the pity if it had a couple of gas jets to ensure it kept spinning the full eleven days, I would not be writing this. I believe the Mars probe failure was loss of spin.
Admittedly I do not know how many springs imparted rotational energy to Huygens. I suppose I should look for some sort of mechanical drawing
Theoretically, I thought it might consist of a single compressed spring on a (wide) screw shaft, that went thru the center of Huygens. But I later realised that the science package occupied the inside center of the ablation shield. I could ask NASA? A number of smaller springs positioned around the internal circumference of the probe?
The whole idea of the spring or springs was to save energy and space.
The idea attributed to Sussex University here in the UK. Prehaps the parachute should be deployed absolutely as early as possible? Unless its an auto deployment based upon atmospheric pressure?
But thats another story.
Its too late to worry now, we shall all have to wait see and hope.

[QUOTE/Mike Kremer]
... if it had a couple of gas jets to ensure it kept spinning the full eleven days,....
[/QUOTE]

Let me ask the question another way: What is going to slow its spinning during those full eleven days?
I understand what will slow it after it enters Titan's atmosphere. But time to impact after entering the atmosphere will be measured in hours and minutes ... not days.