An artist's impression of the Huygens probe entering the upper layers of Titan's atmosphere at 22 000 kilometres per hour. It slows to about 1400 kilometres per hour in less than two minutes, thanks to the friction of the front heatshield with the atmospheric gas.

The temperature of the gas in the shock wave in front of the heatshield may reach 12 000°C, with the shield itself reaching 1800°C.