Cassini spacecraft to begin swansong orbit of Saturn

[inanna]

Source: The Guardian

Tuesday 29 November 2016 17.39 GMT

After nearly two decades, more than 300,000 incredible images and the discovery of no fewer than seven moons, the Cassini spacecraft orbing Saturn is set to begin its gutsy swansong.

Launched just over 19 years ago, the Cassini orbiter – complete with its lander Huygens – spent seven years journeying to Saturn in order to explore the planet, its rings and its moons.

Among the breathtaking discoveries that ensued, the mission revealed icy plumes bursting forth from the surface of the moon Enceladus, followed a megastorm on Saturn, and provided definitive evidence of methane lakes on the planet’s largest moon, Titan.

Now, in an operation that will conclude with an event dubbed the “grand finale”, the orbiter will begin the final stage of its mission, using the last of its fuel in a set of intrepid orbits that will offer scientists the chance to probe a host of intriguing conundrums before Cassini finally dives into Saturn itself on 15 September, burning up in the process.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/nov/29/cassini-spacecraft-to-begin-swansong-orbit-of-saturn

[neverforget]

1. I really wish Cassini could keep going.

The science from Cassini has been incredible. NASA should send probes to orbit Neptune and Uranus. Lots to learn and explore in the solar system still.

[Baclava]

2. yeah, I wish it could last longer too...it's not quite done yet though

"The spacecraft will repeatedly climb high above Saturn's poles, flying just outside its narrow F ring 20 times. After a last targeted Titan flyby, the spacecraft will then dive between Saturn's uppermost atmosphere and its innermost ring 22 times"

[Calista241]

3. Cassini is the last of the Flagship programs by NASA.

Any many missions budget are now being diverted to the James Webb Space Telescope. I'm looking forward to the telescope, but i'm also missing the real space achievements accomplished by Cassini.

The Dawn probe is approaching its end of life. Cassini. it'll be a couple years until we see more results from New Horizons. Sad days approach.

[neverforget]

5. I just got all nostalgic with my 12 year old daughter about how when I was in my

teens, I couldn't wait to see and read about the discoveries of the Voyager missions. I fell the same about New Horizons (and all of NASA's current missions) to Pluto and look forward to its next encounter with a Kupier Belt object. If I were President, NASA would be well funded.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

4. Sending Cassini on to Uranus was one of the end of mission scenarios

If it was still alive and kicking after the slow twenty year voyage, awesome. If not, at least it didn't crash into an icy moon.