By Ben Evans, on September 1st, 2019
Pioneer 11 became the first robotic visitor to Saturn, passing the ringed world in September 1979. Photo Credit: NASA
Spectacular Saturn—the Solar System’s second-largest planet—has been known to humanity for millennia, although only in the last few centuries since the invention of the telescope has its nature and its glorious system of rings entered […]
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By Ben Evans, on August 24th, 2019
The Great Dark Spot and Bright Companion, together with the chevron-like “Scooter” are visible in this Voyager 2 image of Neptune. Photo Credit: NASA
READ Part 1 and Part 2 of AmericaSpace’s Neptune 30th anniversary commemorative feature.
Thirty years ago this weekend, NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft swept silently above Neptune’s royal-blue cloud-tops and […]
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By Paul Scott Anderson, on August 24th, 2019
Artist’s concept of Europa Clipper during a flyby of Europa. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
NASA’s next mission back to Jupiter’s moon Europa just took another big step towards reality. The next phase of Europa Clipper has been confirmed, giving the go-ahead for the mission to proceed to final design, construction and testing.
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By Paul Scott Anderson, on July 9th, 2019
Artist’s concept of one of NASA’s Voyager spacecraft, including the location of the cosmic ray subsystem (CRS) instrument. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
With all of the current and recent planetary missions throughout the Solar System, it may be easy to forget sometimes that there are still some older spacecraft that have been traveling for decades […]
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By Paul Scott Anderson, on June 27th, 2019
Illustration of Dragonfly approaching a site on Titan to take samples. Image Credit: NASA/JHU-APL
It was a much-anticipated announcement, but the winner of NASA’s next New Frontiers mission selection is… Dragonfly! This ambitious mission will be the first return to Saturn’s moon Titan since Cassini/Huygens, and this drone-like rotorcraft will fly to various location […]
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By Paul Scott Anderson, on January 21st, 2019
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 […]
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By Paul Scott Anderson, on October 16th, 2017
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 […]
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By Ben Evans, on October 15th, 2017
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 […]
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By Paul Scott Anderson, on September 15th, 2017
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. […]
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By Paul Scott Anderson, on September 8th, 2017
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, […]
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