For the past two decades, the Cassini mission has been providing spectacular images of Saturn and some of its icy moons. The Cassini-Huygens spacecraft is a collaborative mission from European Space Agency, Italian Space Agency, and NASA. The spacecraft launched in 1997 and reached Saturn’s orbit in 2004.
In January 2005, the space probe Huygens detached itself from Cassini and landed on Saturn’s moon Titan (collecting data and images along the way). To this day, Huygens is the most distant landing of any human made space craft in our solar system.
The surface of Saturn's moon Titan, provided by Huygens probe.
Thanks to the Cassini Mission, we have been able to capture detailed images of Saturn's complex ring structure.
More recently, Cassini has discovered that Saturn's moon Enceladus may have the key ingredients to harbor life! As the spacecraft passed through water jets spewing from the moon's surface, it detected hydrogen molecules within the water vapors.
Cassini Image of Enceladus
Artist concept of Cassini passing through Enceladus' gyser-like plumes.
However, all good things must sometimes come to an end - or eventually run out of gas! NASA announced in 2010 that Cassini is running out of fuel. Cassini's final days in orbit are going to push the spacecraft to where it's never gone before!
THE GRAND FINALE will consist of Cassini performing 22 orbits BETWEEN Saturn and it's most inner ring. We hope to lean how the planet is composed on the inside, the structure of the rings and their origins, and we're expecting some dope ass pictures along the way!!
Orbital path for Cassini's Grand Finale
The mission is set to end September 2017 when Cassini will crash and burn into Saturn's atmosphere. That sounds a little dramatic yes, but it is the only way to properly dispose of the spacecraft. Scientists are trying to avoid the risk of the spacecraft crashing into any one of Saturn's moons.
Click below to see some of the amazing images provided by Cassini! And check out this video if you want to learn more about the Grand Finale.
**Updated May 1st to include Cassini Images from the Grand Finale**
