c-upi

GREEN BANK, W.Va., Jan. 14 (UPI) -- U.S. radioastronomers
said Friday they have detected the signal from the European Space
Agency's Huygens probe during its descent to Saturn's moon Titan.
Astronomers at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory
detected the probe's carrier signal shortly after it began its
parachute descent through Titan's atmosphere.
They said although the signal was "extremely feeble," it is
"an important indication that the Huygens probe is alive."
The carrier signal indicates the back cover of Huygens must
have been ejected, the main parachute must have been deployed and
the probe has begun to transmit. It does not mean any data have been
acquired or received by Cassini. The signal is similar to a
telephone dial tone, the astronomers said.
A stronger signal carrying the probe's landing data --
including analysis of the atmosphere, images and even sounds -- was
expected later on Friday. The signal is being relayed by NASA's
Cassini spacecraft, which is passing by Titan in its latest orbit
around Saturn.
Huygens had been attached to NASA's Cassini spacecraft since
its launch in 1997. It separated from Cassini on Christmas Day and
had been headed toward the Jan. 14 Titan rendezvous.
Communications between Huygens and Cassini will last only
for a few hours, after which the spacecraft will pass behind Titan
and no longer will be able to receive signals from Huygens.