Cassini’s Final Mission to Annihilation Starts April 22

[Binary_Bark]

Grab the tissues. This video nearly had the Cassini team all choked up during today’s press briefing, and virtual sobs and sniffs were abundant on social media posts sharing the video.

“We get goosebumps and get emotional every time we see it,” said Earl Maize, Cassini project manager at JPL.

On April 22 the Cassini spacecraft will begin its ‘Grand Finale’ — the beginning of the end of this tremendous mission that has provided breathtaking images and so many new discoveries of Saturn, its rings and moons. The mission will end on September 15, 2017, when it makes a dramatic plunge into the gas giant.

Here’s the video that had everyone teary-eyed. Be prepared for some stunning visuals:

Continue reading here: https://www.universetoday.com/134795/cassinis-final-mission-annihilation-starts-april-22/

 

[Creag]

A computer-generated representation of all Cassini’s Saturn orbits -affectionately called the “ball of yarn” by mission planners. The time frame spans Saturn Orbit Insertion on July 1, 2004 to the end of mission on Sept. 15, 2017. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech.

Having followed Cassini on Twitter for a considerable time now, its imminent demise is becoming somewhat of a sad occasion. Its accomplishments have been amazing, particularly considering that it is being navigated from so far away. Ai tog...