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In the spring of 2004, during Cassini s approach to Saturn, the Cassini Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) began acquiring thermal spectra of Saturn s rings. CIRS is a Fourier-transform spectrometer that measures radiation in the thermal infrared from 7 microns to 1 millimeter (1400 to 10/cm). CIRS has a set of 21 detectors, consisting of two 1 x 10 linear arrays with a pixel size of 0.3 mrad, and one 4 mrad circular detector. Just after the completion of the Saturn orbit insertion (SOI) burn, CIRS performed an especially high spatial resolution scan of portions of Saturn s A, B and C rings. In the months following SOI, additional ring measurements have been obtained, including radial scans on the lit and unlit sides of the rings, and azimuthal scans across the shadowed regions of the A, B and C rings.

Radial scans of main rings obtained at a variety of phase angles, local times and ring opening angles. Circular focal plane 1 slowly scanned across rings. Radial resolution approx. 2500 km. Temperatures decrease with increasing phase angle for all main rings. Rough estimate of particle spin period for B ring particle is P > 1.8 hours

The Cassini-Huygens international mission and the Cassini spacecraft are described. Saturn, Titan, the rings and the various other parts of the Saturn system are discussed. A look at what is involved in sending a large spacecraft to the outer solar system is given.