Cassini's Grand Finale - NASA Mission Ends Sept 2017

Its been an amazing journey to be witness to. Thank you NASA. Im speechless and in awe of what they have achieved over the past decade with Cassini. I cannot wait for the next Cassini type project to launch.

Awesome stuff indeed. The rings of Saturn still baffle the best of scientists. Can't wait for the final shots!

a reply to: Jungian

The cassini mission is in my opinion one of NASA's most awe inspiring triumphs. On par with Voyager IMO.

the wealth of new discoveries and knowledge it has given us is staggering...as well as some of the most beautiful pictures of our solar system ever taken.

I have raved in threads on ATS many times before and I will continue to do so.

I'm hoping to make a huge Cassini thread before its final plummet, showcasing the amazing things its discovered.

Wonderful craft. Wonderful mission.

originally posted by: 3danimator2014
a reply to: Jungian

I'm hoping to make a huge Cassini thread before its final plummet, showcasing the amazing things its discovered.

I hope you do because I'd love to see it.
I'm excited to see the new info and beautiful images.
Thanks to the OP!

a reply to: 3danimator2014

Sounds awesome. My eyes are now FIXED on the James Webb Telescope going into orbit next year. Im sure its gonna reveal to blow my mind 100 times more than Hubble did.

Cassini probe,

You are the namesake of a great astronomer. As is your partner (emissary to Titan), Huygens. As did those men, the visions you have provided have expanded human horizons. Such is the role of an explorer.

Aloha

p.s. Salute to the creativity, genius, skills, and dedication of those who actually made all that cool stuff happen.

Shoulders.

I got a bit teary at the end of that video. Great and inspirational CGI work, most probably by the same guy who did the Wonderers short film.

Can't wait to see those final images on rings and Saturn's atmosphere from never-before seen perspective.

I worry, though, that the space between the rings and Saturn might not be completely free of icy particles, and that Cassini might experience a collision.

a reply to: wildespace

I got a bit teary at the end of that video.

This is sort of heart rending.

a reply to: Phage

We will have to be certain that when these rovers start possessing a certain level of artificial intelligence, that we do not abandon them in isolation, as we have abandoned countless satellites, rovers and probes over the years.

Instead of crashing it.. why not make a final burst out into space towards the nearest star just for the hell of it ?

It's hard to know what to say sometimes...but it would be great to pass by there......sometime.

originally posted by: Spacespider
Instead of crashing it.. why not make a final burst out into space towards the nearest star just for the hell of it ?

I don't think Cassini has enough fuel to escape Saturn's gravity. Besides, the "suicide" part of the mission will give us unprecedented data and pictures.

An amazing journey by mankind, it will be a sad day when Cassini takes it's final dive into the unknown.
Thank you NASA for the amazing journey.

originally posted by: wildespace
I got a bit teary at the end of that video. Great and inspirational CGI work, most probably by the same guy who did the Wonderers short film.

Can't wait to see those final images on rings and Saturn's atmosphere from never-before seen perspective.

I worry, though, that the space between the rings and Saturn might not be completely free of icy particles, and that Cassini might experience a collision.

Absolutely agree. That CGI was not only top notch, it was beautifully edited, the camera angles were interesting and the narration/music were spot on.

The final shot of cassini was beautiful but sad.

Wonderful craft/team

Comparison between the CGI shot in the video and the raw Cassini image that I think the author used for reference:





More about the strange wallnut-shaped moon Iapetus here: www.abovetopsecret.com...

a reply to: Phage

And we cannot forget about Cassini's little baby Huygen, who departed his Mother Cassini to land on Titan and to get our first Photos and science from another Moon.

a reply to: Jungian

1 appreciates all the known/unknown data Cassini and Huygens brought to EA*RTH and thanks the scientists for designing such reliable craft/probes.

As Cassini's taking its last dips and climbs I do wonder if anything related to thread below will be detected?

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Also would the 9-15-17 ending be a ufo or ifo?

Thinks outta box at times so just thought how would EA*RTH space perceive respond if a SATURN probe ended its journey in EA*RTH space.
I'm sure intelligent and smart minds considered this.
No, not saying it is inhabited occupied but if it was and not identified...

NAMASTE*******

originally posted by: wildespace

I worry, though, that the space between the rings and Saturn might not be completely free of icy particles, and that Cassini might experience a collision.

Micro debris/dust also came to mind.

originally posted by: wildespace
Comparison between the CGI shot in the video and the raw Cassini image that I think the author used for reference:

More about the strange wallnut-shaped moon Iapetus here: www.abovetopsecret.com...

Great find mate.

I can tell you this with much certainty. NASA paid lots of money on this animation. And rightly so in this case. The mission deserves it

This might sound silly but it was interesting to me that they didn't show the pieces of the craft flying off of it in the close up shots of atmosphere entry. Which is totally what would happen of course but no need to show it.

2 questions :


The craft struggling to maintain its antenna pointed at earth...is that even going to be possible? The guidance computer on cassini probably won't be fast enough to be able to do that for very long.

They show the atmos and sky being blueish. Is that realistic? I'm guessing yes.