Design of the Cassini tour trajectory in the Saturnian system

Abstract The Cassini mission to Saturn employs a Saturn orbiter and a Titan probe to conduct an intensive investigation of the Saturnian system. The Cassini orbiter flies series of orbits incorporating flybys of the Saturnian satellites called the “satellite tour”. During the tour, the gravitational fields of the satellites are used to modify and control the orbit, targeting from one satellite flyby to the next. The tour trajectory must also be designed to maximize opportunites for science observations, subject to mission-imposed constraints. Tour design studies have been conducted for Cassini to identify trades and strategies for achieving these sometimes conflicting goals. Concepts, strategies, and techniques previously developed for the Galileo mission to Jupiter have been modified, and new ones have been developed, to meet the requirements of the Cassini mission.