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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Channel Hopper" data-source="post: 89241" data-attributes="member: 175144">Getting to Mars was always easier than getting to a moon of Saturn. Vikings and their predecessors are all one hop landers, with transmitters able to get signals back to Earth. Thesun is strong enough there to recharge a battery system in just over twice the rate of this planet. Saturn doesnt have anywhere near as much tanning rays Besides this is the secondary craft (dont forget Cassini was the main project, to go and find out about the whole Saturn system, not just one lump of rock) means Huygens was really on a tight budget weightwise. I believe more mass was in the transmitter equipment than the camera, data processing and batteries , just to get through the thick atmosphere (but dont quote me on that). Cassini is also flying about looking at other interesting lumps, as well as receiving those signals from the ground.</blockquote>