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The Huygens Atmospheric Structure Instrument
Project Manager: prof. Francesco Angrilli, CISAS “G. Colombo”, Univ. Padova, Italy.
Principal Investigator: prof. Marcello Fulchignoni, Univ. Paris VII / LESIA, Obs. Paris, France
HASI Project Management Office: at CISAS “G. Colombo”, University of Padova, Italy
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In the framework of the NASA/ASI/ESA Cassini-Huygens mission
towards the Saturnian system, HASI is one of the six experiments onboard the Huygens probe.
HASI is a multisensor package designed to measure the physical quantities characterizing
Titan’s atmosphere during the entry and descent of the Huygens probe and investigating the
surface of the biggest moon of Saturn.
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| HASI Scientific objectives |
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- Determine the atmospheric pressure and
temperature profiles.
- Evaluate the density and molecular weight
profiles.
- Determine the atmospheric electric conductivity
and charge carrier profiles.
- Investigate ionisation processes.
- Survey wave electric fields and atmospheric lightning; analysis of quasi-static electric fields
leading to storm formation.
- Detect acoustic noise due to turbulence or
thunder storms.
- Characterize the roughness, mechanical and
electrical properties of the surface material
whatever its phase, solid or liquid.
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HASI is
composed of 4 subsystems:
the triaxial
accelerometer (ACC),
the deployable boom
system (DBS),
the stem (STUB) carrying
the temperature sensors,
a Kiel probe
pressure inlet,
an acoustic sensor and the
data processing unit (DPU).
The scientific measurements are performed
by four sensor packages:
the
accelerometers (ACC),
the temperature
sensors (TEM),
the Pressure Profile
Instrument (PPI),
the Permittivity
Wave and Altimeter package (PWA).
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The HASI team at CISAS has been responsible
for the design and qualification of the STUB
subsystem and the TEM sensors (Platinum
thermometers of new concept). |
It has been responsible for the Assembly, Integration, and Verification campaign at instrument and system level including
inflight cruise checkouts every 6 months. CISAS hosts the HASI Project Management Office, responsible for the HASI team
coordination. |
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