Cassini's final days around Saturn

[mhansen2]

Cassini spacecraft's 13-year Saturn mission ends Friday - CNN

"Bravo Zulu" Cassini and thank you.

 

[anotherlife]

Poor Cassini. It's like sacrificing your best employee.

 

[mhansen2]

Poor Cassini. It's like sacrificing your best employee.

Some scientists and engineers have devoted decades of their lives to the project. It'll be saying good-bye to a dear friend.

Excitement and Tears as NASA Goddard Team Prepares for Cassini Finale

 

[anotherlife]

Poor Cassini. It's like sacrificing your best employee.

Some scientists and engineers have devoted decades of their lives to the project. It'll be saying good-bye to a dear friend.

Excitement and Tears as NASA Goddard Team Prepares for Cassini Finale

Have they run out of program's on it? Or is the newest NASA budget cut so stingy that even this must go? I understand some measurements can't be done from orbit, but is it really time now?

 

[Stasha_Sz]

Poor Cassini. It's like sacrificing your best employee.

Some scientists and engineers have devoted decades of their lives to the project. It'll be saying good-bye to a dear friend.

Excitement and Tears as NASA Goddard Team Prepares for Cassini Finale

Have they run out of program's on it? Or is the newest NASA budget cut so stingy that even this must go? I understand some measurements can't be done from orbit, but is it really time now?

It is a little more complicated than that, Anotherlife, the craft is atomic powered, and is nearing the end of its fuel supply. The maneuver is scheduled for now because there is enough power left to complete the de-orbital insertion into Saturn's atmosphere where it will be crushed, burnt up and generally destroyed in the safest place possible. Were the engineers to let it go on until the power is drained, they lose control over the craft. With all the gravitational variances in the Saturnian system, the craft could crash into one of the potentially life supporting moons and thereby contaminate it with radiation.

 

[MarathonMike]

As a career engineer I can relate. Awesome job NASA, mission accomplished Cassini, die well.

 

[IsaacNewton]

Cassini spacecraft's 13-year Saturn mission ends Friday - CNN

"Bravo Zulu" Cassini and thank you.

Not only the scientists that guided it but the crew of people that physically built it. It must be like losing a family member.

BZ as well!

 

[ScienceRocks]

Shame we don't have the replacement in place. Shame.

 

[Weatherman2020]

Cassini just relayed a message.

“ALL THESE WORLDS ARE YOURS, EXCEPT EUROPA.
ATTEMPT NO LANDING THERE.
USE THEM TOGETHER. USE THEM IN PEACE.”

 

[mhansen2]

Cassini just relayed a message.

“ALL THESE WORLDS ARE YOURS, EXCEPT EUROPA.
ATTEMPT NO LANDING THERE.
USE THEM TOGETHER. USE THEM IN PEACE.”

Just to pick a small nit, the message should have read:

"ALL THESE WORLDS ARE YOURS, EXCEPT ENCELADUS.
ATTEMPT NO LANDING THERE.
USE THEM TOGETHER. USE THEM IN PEACE.”

Europa orbits Jupiter and, like Enceladus, is an icy moon that may harbor life within possible oceans.

Great thought, though.

Cassini: The Grand Finale: End of Mission Timeline

 

[mhansen2]

CBS Evening News, 20170915

NASA says goodbye to Cassini probe, which improved our understanding of Saturn

I was disappointed there was no mention of the Huygens lander. Hopefully, there will be future Enceladus and Europa dedicated missions.