AmericaSpace

in Saturn, Space Exploration, Solar System, Research, News, Cassini, NASA, Space, Science, Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Saturn’s Iconic Rings Surprisingly Young, Cassini Data Show

by Paul Scott Anderson January 21, 2019, 7:00 pm
Saturn’s iconic rings are one of the most stunning phenomena in the Solar System. Photo Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Saturn’s rings are one of the most beautiful and breathtaking sights in the Solar System – but it hasn’t always been that way. New evidence in data sent back by the now-defunct Cassini spacecraft shows that they are much younger than the planet itself, and that Saturn was actually ringless for most of its existence.
Continue reading
Email
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
Reddit
Pocket
Print
More
LinkedIn
Tumblr
Like this:
Like Loading...
Read More
in Saturn, Cassini

Reliving Cassini’s Final Moments: Engineers Recreate Spacecraft’s Fatal Plunge Into Saturn’s Atmosphere

by Paul Scott Anderson October 16, 2017, 10:58 pm 16 Comments
The final full view of Saturn from Cassini, on Sept. 13, 2017. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSI/Jason Major

It has been just over a month now since the Cassini spacecraft took its final plunge into Saturn’s atmosphere, ending an incredible mission of 13 years at the ringed giant planet. The probe continued collecting scientific data until the very last moments, and now engineers have been able to reconstruct what happened to it as it met its fate.

Continue reading
Email
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
Reddit
Pocket
Print
More
LinkedIn
Tumblr
Like this:
Like Loading...
Read More
in Cassini, Space, Saturn, NASA

A Billion Miles to Saturn: 20 Years Since the Launch of Cassini

by Ben Evans October 15, 2017, 7:03 pm 2 Comments
The second Titan IVB roars aloft on 15 October 1997, carrying the Cassini mission to Saturn. Photo Credit: NASA

In the pre-dawn darkness of 15 October 1997, exactly two decades ago, this very day, one of the largest and most powerful rockets ever brought to operational service was poised for launch on Space Launch Complex (SLC)-40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Standing some 183 feet (55.9 meters) tall, the Titan IV had flown on 20 occasions in the previous eight years, completing all but one of its missions successfully. However, the configuration to be employed on this particular flight—known as the Titan IVB-Centaur, a three-stage beast, with two side-mounted solid-fueled boosters—had only launched once before, to deliver a military satellite into orbit in February 1997. Many minds, of course, were on the Titan IV’s single operational failure, for on 15 October 1997 the Titan IV faced perhaps the most important mission of its career: the launch of the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft on a 1.4-billion-mile (2.2-billion-kilometer) journey to explore Saturn. Continue reading
Email
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
Reddit
Pocket
Print
More
LinkedIn
Tumblr
Like this:
Like Loading...
Read More
in NASA, Cassini, Saturn

‘All Good Things’: Cassini Finishes Its Epic Mission at Saturn In a Blaze of Glory

by Paul Scott Anderson September 15, 2017, 5:07 pm
A last look at Saturn: mosaic made from images taken on Sept. 13, 2017 by Cassini. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute/Jason Major

The moment that many people have been waiting for – albeit with great sadness – has finally arrived, with the Cassini spacecraft ending its mission in a literal blaze of glory. At 4:55 AM PT on Sept. 15, the long-lived explorer plummeted into Saturn’s atmosphere for its final act, bringing to a close a 13-year study of Saturn and its moons. As the saying goes, “all good things must come to an end,” and now that time has come for Cassini, which has transformed our knowledge about Saturn and its many bizarre and strange moons.

Continue reading
Email
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
Reddit
Pocket
Print
More
LinkedIn
Tumblr
Like this:
Like Loading...
Read More
in Saturn, NASA, Cassini

‘The Last Hurrah’: Cassini Prepares for Fiery End of Mission in One Week

by Paul Scott Anderson September 8, 2017, 11:23 pm 1 Comment
One of the most surreal views of Saturn from Cassini, backlit by the Sun. Photo Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute

The end is nigh. Those really are not the words that scientists and fans of the Cassini mission at Saturn want to hear, but it’s true. After exploring Saturn and its moons since 2004, the Cassini spacecraft has now entered its final orbit around the ringed gas giant, and today will also make its last pass through the gap between Saturn and its rings. A week from now, Cassini will plunge into Saturn’s thick atmosphere, still recording data as long as it can, until it is crushed by the intense atmospheric pressure. Although the mission will be over, however, the incredible amount of science returned by Cassini will keep scientists busy for many years to come.

Continue reading
Email
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
Reddit
Pocket
Print
More
LinkedIn
Tumblr
Like this:
Like Loading...
Read More
in Cassini, Saturn

Cassini Prepares For One Last Look at Titan Before Spectacular End of Mission

by Paul Scott Anderson August 14, 2017, 6:17 pm
Two views of Titan from Cassini, using the narrow-angle camera on March 21, 2017, revealing bright methane clouds in the thick, opaque nitrogen atmosphere, and dark dunes, lakes and seas on the surface. Natural color on left, false color on right. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute

There are now less than five orbits left in the Grand Finale until Cassini’s awe-inspiring mission at Saturn comes to an end. With each remaining orbit, Cassini comes closer to plunging into Saturn’s atmosphere, never to be heard from again. Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, assists the spacecraft during this phase of the mission, nudging on it with its gravity to keep Cassini in the right orbits for when it dives between the innermost rings and the planet itself. And now those final moments are almost here.

Continue reading
Email
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
Reddit
Pocket
Print
More
LinkedIn
Tumblr
Like this:
Like Loading...
Read More
in News, NASA, Cassini, Saturn

Only 5 Ring Crossings Left as Cassini Nears End of Historic Mission at Saturn

by Paul Scott Anderson August 9, 2017, 1:22 pm 1 Comment
Saturn’s moon Prometheus lurks near the outer F ring in this new view from Cassini. Photo Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute

NASA’s Cassini spacecraft just completed its 17th ring crossing at Saturn, part of the Grand Finale phase of the mission, leaving only 5 more to go before the mission ends on Sept. 15. As before, the ring crossing was a success, with Cassini sending back precious more data about the Saturn system even though time is now running short. The ring crossings, bringing the spacecraft closer to Saturn than ever before, provide a unique way for scientists to learn even more about Saturn and its moons in a manner never before possible.

Continue reading
Email
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
Reddit
Pocket
Print
More
LinkedIn
Tumblr
Like this:
Like Loading...
Read More
in Saturn, NASA, Cassini

Cassini’s Latest Dive Through Saturn’s Rings Reveals Spectacular Detail

by Paul Scott Anderson July 11, 2017, 8:00 pm 1 Comment
Recent spectacular image from Cassini where Saturn’s shadow can be seen projected onto the finely detailed rings. Photo Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute

NASA’s Cassini spacecraft has now successfully completed its 12th ring crossing at Saturn, and is now well past the halfway point of the Grand Finale phase of its mission. Each ring crossing, with now only 10 left, brings Cassini closer to its inevitable end in September, when the spacecraft will plunge into Saturn’s turbulent atmosphere to meet its fiery fate.

Continue reading
Email
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
Reddit
Pocket
Print
More
LinkedIn
Tumblr
Like this:
Like Loading...
Read More
in Space, Science, Space Exploration, Saturn, Cassini, Solar System, News

Grand Finale Part 5: Cassini Completes Tenth Epic Ring Crossing at Saturn

by Paul Scott Anderson June 26, 2017, 7:00 pm 2 Comments
Illustration of Cassini diving through the gap between Saturn and its rings. Ten out of the 22 ring crossings have now been completed. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

NASA’s Cassini spacecraft has just successfully completed its tenth ring crossing at Saturn, on June 23, which brings it almost halfway through the Grand Finale – the last phase of the mission, which will end on Sept. 15, 2017. This leaves twelve more ring crosses to go before the end of the mission. There may not be a lot of time left for Cassini, but these last close flybys of Saturn are providing views and data never before possible – a crowning achievement for a mission which has already completely changed our understanding of the giant ringed planet and its moons.

Continue reading
Email
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
Reddit
Pocket
Print
More
LinkedIn
Tumblr
Like this:
Like Loading...
Read More
in Science, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Space Exploration, Cassini, Saturn, News, NASA, Solar System

Grand Final Part 4: Cassini Completes Eighth Ring Crossing, and a ‘Tour of Saturn’s Moons’

by Paul Scott Anderson June 11, 2017, 7:00 pm 1 Comment
A haunting raw image view of Saturn and its rings taken on June 7, 2017 by Cassini. Photo Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute

As Cassini’s “Grand Finale” journey continues, the spacecraft has completed its eighth dive past the innermost rings of Saturn (known as a ring crossing), and there are now just under 100 days left until it plunges into the giant planet’s atmosphere, never to come back. Although time may be running out, Cassini continues to devour every drop of science data that it can, which builds upon other data that has transformed our view of the Saturnian system – a complex array of worlds like a miniature Solar System. This includes, of course, more fantastic images of Saturn and its rings and moons. The detail seen in the rings is nothing short of staggering.

Continue reading
Email
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
Reddit
Pocket
Print
More
LinkedIn
Tumblr
Like this:
Like Loading...
Read More
in Cassini, News, NASA, Saturn, Science, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Solar System, Space Exploration

Grand Finale Part 3: Cassini Completes Third Ring Dive, Sees Bright Clouds on Titan

by Paul Scott Anderson May 10, 2017, 8:24 pm
Two versions of the image of Titan’s clouds, taken on May 7, 2017. The first is with stronger enhancement, and the second is with softer enhancement. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSI

NASA’s Cassini probe has now survived its third dive into Saturn’s rings, specifically the gap between the innermost rings and the planet itself. This is just the latest in a series of 22 such planned dives for the Grand Finale phase, before the mission ends on Sept. 15, 2017. This time, as well as obtaining more close-up views of the rings and Saturn’s atmosphere again, Cassini took a look at Saturn’s largest moon Titan from a distance, and saw some of the longest and brightest clouds in the hazy atmosphere that it has seen in the entire mission. Even though Cassini won’t be making any more close flybys of Titan, these new views are fantastic.

Continue reading
Email
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
Reddit
Pocket
Print
More
LinkedIn
Tumblr
Like this:
Like Loading...
Read More
in Saturn, Solar System, News, NASA, Science, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Cassini

Grand Finale Part 2: Cassini Completes Second Epic Dive into Saturn’s Rings

by Paul Scott Anderson May 3, 2017, 12:24 pm 2 Comments
Illustration of Cassini crossing the ring plane between Saturn and its innermost rings .Cassini has now completed its second dive into the rings of Saturn, with 20 left to go during the Grand Finale. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Cassini’s “dance” with Saturn’s rings continues – the probe has now completed its second dive into the rings (orbit 272), specifically the gap between the innermost rings and Saturn itself. That leaves 20 more similar dives to go, as part of the Grand Finale phase of Cassini’s mission before the fateful end on Sept. 15. This is the closest that any spacecraft has ever come to Saturn, showing the rings and the planet itself in detail never seen before.

Continue reading
Email
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
Reddit
Pocket
Print
More
LinkedIn
Tumblr
Like this:
Like Loading...
Read More

Congratulations. You've reached the end of the internet.

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this: