NASA’s Cassini spacecraft has explored the Saturn system since 2004, re-writing our understanding of the giant planet, its rings, moons and magnetosphere.
For 13 years the spacecraft’s incredible, truly otherworldly images have revealed the wonder of Saturn in surprising, often awe-inspiring ways.
Cassini is planetary exploration at its finest, proving that to truly reveal the grandeur of a world, there is no substitute for actually going there.
In mid-September (2017), the mission is coming to a close. Following a distant encounter with Titan, the spacecraft’s path will be bent so that it dives into the Saturn’s atmosphere.
When Cassini makes its final plunge on Sept. 15, it will send data from several instruments – most notably, data on the atmosphere’s composition – until its signal is lost.
“Cassini’s grand finale is so much more than a final plunge,” said Linda Spilker, Cassini project scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “It’s a thrilling final chapter for our intrepid spacecraft, and so scientifically rich that it was the clear and obvious choice for how to end the mission.”
More information about the Cassini mission to Saturn.
Filed under: Saturn
