AAS 95-382

Exposure of the Cassini Spacecraft to Horseshoe and Tadpole Particle Zones

A. A. Wolf and D. Seal, Mission Design Section, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA

Abstract

Regions called "horseshoes" and "tadpoles" exist along the orbits of Saturn's satellites, within which particles can be trapped by gravitational interactions of Saturn and the satellites. Although the extent of particle accumulation in these regions is not known, trapped particles might pose a hazard to the Cassini spacecraft. The amount of time spent in these regions is determined for several sample tours. Methods of reducing exposure time, and effects of these methods on science return and mission operations, are discussed. An estimate is made of how much time can be spent in these regions without incurring unacceptable risk.