Europe beat us to the moon!

[BurtWorm]

To Saturn's moon, Titan, that is.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/14/science/14cnd-titan.html?hp&ex=1105765200&en=d21b36328660142a&ei=5094&partner=homepage

ARMSTADT, Germany, Jan. 14 - A European spacecraft landed safely today on the surface of Saturn's largest moon, Titan, scientists here said, and began transmitting data back to Earth.

Mission controllers said they were confident the Huygens craft made a soft landing by parachute because it was still transmitting signals long after its scheduled touchdown at about 1:30 p.m. (8:30 a.m. Eastern time).
...

It is the first landing of a spacecraft on the moon of another planet. And Titan is no ordinary moon, but a body larger than the planets Mercury and Pluto, and almost the size of Mars.

[Squatch]

1. Congratulations to ESA!

Good job

[Zenlitened]

2. Well, it's a joint mission with NASA and the Italian Space Agency

... in addition to ESA -- 3 organizations, total. (Edited to clarify)

A nice example of international cooperation in pursuit of scientific knowledge.

Quite a contrast to the mindset of the current U.S. administration, huh?

[Zuni]

4. Shows how much better things are when you cooperate and share

[trotsky]

3. PICTURES!!! I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE PICTURES!!!

Hope they resolved that potential data scrambling issue.

[Kellanved]

5. ETA : 14:15 EST

Keeping the fingers crossed.

[Kellanved]

6. here:

http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Cassini-Huygens/

[cruadin]

7. Wow---cool. Thanks for posting, and for the link.