After 13 years in orbit around Saturn and 20 years in space, the Cassini Mission has come to an end. Launched on 15 October 1997 as a cooperative project between NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Italian Space Agency, the four year prime mission carried the Huygens probe to Saturn with its tour being extended twice. Amongst many discoveries two key ones were on Saturn's Moons, the global ocean and indication of hydrothermal activity within Enceladus, and liquid methane seas on Titan.
As Cassini's rocket fuel used for adjusting its course was almost exhausted rendering control of the course of the space craft impossible, the decision was taken by NASA to dispose of the orbiter in Saturn's atmosphere. This ensures that Cassini cannot collide nor contaminate Saturn's moons and affect any future studies of habitability and potential life on those moons. The orbiter will plunge into Saturn's atmosphere on September 15, 2017.
Link to the Cassini website:
Cassini website - NASA
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| Dawn at Saturn - from 1.23 million kilometres away (c) NASA JPL |
