Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, has a thick nitrogen atmosphere, liquid methane lakes and a surface shaped by weather and organic chemistry—features that make it a focal point for planetary explorers and scientists studying prebiotic processes.
There are 6 Space Missions to Titan, ranging from Cassini to Voyager 1. For each mission the data are organized as Mission type,Launch year / arrival year (YYYY),Operator (agency/country) — you’ll find below.
Which missions actually landed or sampled Titan?
Only the Huygens probe made a soft landing on Titan (delivered by the Cassini–Huygens mission in 2005); Voyager 1 was a flyby, and Cassini performed many targeted flybys and remote sensing observations but did not land. Reviewing the mission types and operators in the list below makes it clear which missions returned in situ data versus remote-sensing measurements.
Why note both launch and arrival years, and the operator?
Launch and arrival years show travel time and the technological era behind each mission, while the operator indicates who funded and planned it—useful for understanding mission goals, capabilities and international collaboration when you compare instruments and results in the table you’ll find below.
Space Missions to Titan
| Name | Mission type | Launch year / arrival year (YYYY) | Operator (agency/country) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Voyager 1 | Flyby | 1977 / 1980 | NASA (USA) |
| Cassini | Orbiter | 1997 / 2004 | NASA (USA) |
| Huygens | Lander / Probe | 1997 / 2005 | ESA (Europe) |
| Dragonfly | Planned lander / Rotorcraft | 2027 / 2034 | NASA (USA) |
| TiME (Titan Mare Explorer) | Proposed floating lander (cancelled) | — | NASA (USA) |
| TSSM (Titan Saturn System Mission) | Proposed flagship mission concept (cancelled) | — | NASA/ESA (USA/Europe) |
Images and Descriptions
Voyager 1
NASA’s Voyager 1 flew close to Titan in 1980, revealing a dense nitrogen atmosphere and thick haze that obscured the surface. Its findings changed the mission’s trajectory and sparked interest in Titan’s complex atmospheric chemistry and potential prebiotic processes.
Cassini
NASA’s Cassini orbiter studied Saturn and made over 100 Titan flybys from 2004 to 2017, mapping the surface with radar, revealing methane lakes, dunes, and organics, and delivering the Huygens probe before ending its mission in Saturn’s atmosphere.
Huygens
ESA’s Huygens probe detached from Cassini and landed on Titan in January 2005, returning the first surface images and direct atmospheric measurements. It showed drainage channels, rounded pebbles, and active methane weather on a frigid world.
Dragonfly
NASA’s Dragonfly rotorcraft, selected in 2019, will launch about 2027 and arrive at Titan near 2034. It will fly to multiple locations, sample organic-rich dunes and impact sites, and study prebiotic chemistry and habitability across diverse regions.
TiME (Titan Mare Explorer)
TiME (Titan Mare Explorer) was a proposed NASA Discovery mission to float on Ligeia Mare, sample lake chemistry, and study Titan’s meteorology. It reached advanced proposal stages in the 2010s but was not selected for flight.
TSSM (Titan Saturn System Mission)
The Titan Saturn System Mission (TSSM) was a joint NASA/ESA concept from around 2009 proposing an orbiter, lander and balloon to study Titan and Enceladus. It offered broad science goals but remained a study and was not developed into a mission.
