The Huygens probe says goodbye Cassini. Hello Titan this week on planetary Radio. Radio. Hello again everyone and happy New Year.

Welcome to Public Radio's Travel Show that takes you to the Final Frontier. I'm Matt Kaplan. is

the travel show that takes you to the final frontier. I'm Matt Kaplan.

After seven years as the close companion of Cassini,

Hoagans has finally set off on its own

for Saturn's Moon Titan.

Our guests are the project scientist and the Mission Operations

Manager for the small but instrument-packed European spacecraft.

Speaking of moons, stay tuned for Emily Lachtowalla's Q&A.

She'll tell us where to find the biggest ones in our corner of the sky.

Bruce Betts drops in with good wishes for the new year,

and the gift of five planets visible in the early

morning.

We'll begin with a quick review of space headlines.

There was no Christmas break for spirit and opportunity.

Mars Exploration Rover Project scientist Joy Crisp says the little robots will keep working

right through the holidays.

No word on whether she added a ba humbug or two. Opportunity is now closing in on its own

heat shield, discarded as it descended to the surface months ago.

High above the rovers, the European Space Agency's Mars Express Orbiter is finding increasing

evidence of relatively recent volcanic activity on the red planet.

This may have created regions that are somewhat more hospitable to life, if any exists or existed.

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