Skip Navigation
menu close modal

Resources

Cassini's Final Plunge (Top View)

Cassini plunge top view
Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Published: August 28, 2017

This graphic shows Cassini's final plunge toward Saturn from a top view, with tick marks representing time intervals of 2 minutes, leading to the spacecraft's entry into the atmosphere.

ENLARGE

Related

The University of Arizona's commemorative poster celebrating OSIRIS-REx’s successful sample collection of asteroid Bennu.
More
poster showing an artist's rendition of OSIRIS-REx extending its sampling arm to the surface of asteroid Bennu
OSIRIS-REx Sample Collection Poster
A poster-style artist's view of Cassini's Grand Finale orbits.  
More
Illustration of spacecraft at Saturn.
Over the Top: Cassini Grand Finale (Artist's Concept)
Dawn's futuristic, hyper-efficient ion propulsion system allows Dawn to go into orbit around two different solar system bodies, a first for any spacecraft.
More
Infographic with diagram of ion propulsion system
Anatomy of an Ion Engine
This artist’s concept shows an over-the-shoulder view of Cassini making one of its Grand Finale dives over Saturn.
More
Illustration of spacecraft over Saturn.
Cassini Grand Finale Concept 2
Saturn is sending out mixed signals in recent data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft and the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.
More
This is a narrated video describing Saturn sending 'mixed signals' in radio frequencies.
Mixed Signals from Saturn
Milestones in Cassini's final dive toward Saturn. 
More
Graphic of Cassini's final dive toward Saturn
Milestones in Cassini's Final Dive
Enceladus' plume was found to have a comet-like chemistry by Cassini's Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer during its fly-through of the plume on Mar. 12, 2008. Water vapor, methane, carbon monoxide,...
More
This graph shows the chemical constituents in percentage of abundance found in comets compared to those found in Enceladus’ plume
Comets and Enceladus – Similar Chemistry
We are on the cusp of exploring what may be the best place in our solar system to look for life beyond Earth. That place is Jupiter’s moon Europa. Join us for the Europa Clipper's journey to an oce...
More
Posters for Europa Clipper mission
Europa Clipper: Journey to an Ocean World Poster
​On the final orbit, Cassini will plunge into Saturn fighting to keep its antenna pointed at Earth as it transmits its farewell. In the skies of Saturn, the journey ends, as Cassini becomes part of...
More
Short animation depicting Cassini's entry in the atmosphere.
Cassini's Final Plunge
Loaded for the Cassini Science League http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/cassiniscienceleague/science20130917/
More
This map shows the pattern of Cassini spacecraft’s well-controlled up-and-down nodding movements
Pattern of Cassini spacecraft's well-controlled up-and-down nodding movements
+ Brightening Adiri -- Unannotated Images from NASA's Cassini spacecraft show changes caused by methane rain in the bright Adiri region near the equator of Saturn's largest moon, Titan. Altho...
More
Images from NASA's Cassini spacecraft show changes caused by methane rain in the bright Adiri region near the equator of Saturn's largest moon, Titan.
Brightening Adiri -- Annotated
A new slide show highlights the Cassini spacecraft's third year at the ringed world. + Slide show
More
Screen grab of first page of slideshow
Rings Around Saturn
Artist's concept of Cassini orbiter crossing Saturn's ring plane.
More
Illustration of spacecraft at Saturn.
Ring Plane Crossing: Cassini Grand Finale (Artist's Concept)
The Cassini mission entered its second extended mission, called the Cassini Solstice Mission, in September 2010. This extension enables scientists to study seasonal and other long-term weather chan...
More
Cassini Solstice Mission artwork
Cassini Solstice Mission
Some key numbers from the Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn.
More
A colorful spacecraft graphic showing highlighted numbers from the mission.
Cassini-Huygens By the Numbers
As depicted in this illustration, Cassini will plunge into Saturn’s atmosphere on Sept. 15, 2017.
More
Illustration of Cassini entering Saturn's atmosphere.
Cassini Versus Saturn (Illustration)
A brief explainer about the 2018 global dust storm on Mars.
More
Illustrated story about dust impact on Mars rover.
Science Comic: Dust Storm on Mars
+ View high res + View unannotated version + View contrast enhanced version On July 19, 2013, in an event celebrated the world over, NASA's Cassini spacecraft slipped into Saturn's shadow ...
More
Saturn system
The Day the Earth Smiled (annotated)
To create the first global, topographic map of Saturn's moon Titan, scientists analyzed data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft and a mathematical process called splining. This method effectively uses ...
More
Global, topographic map of Saturn's moon Titan
Two Views of Titan's Topography
This illustration shows NASA’s Cassini spacecraft about to make one of its dives between Saturn and its innermost rings as part of the mission's Grand Finale. 
More
Illustration of Cassini diving between the rings of Saturn.
Cassini Grand Finale Dive (Illustration)
+ Higher Resolution This graphic illustrates the Radio Science Occultation Experiment conducted on Friday May 10, 2013. Details and description of terms: Dots are spaced at 15-minute (15 m) ...
More
This graphic illustrates the Radio Science Occultation Experiment conducted on Friday May 10, 2013
May 2013 Radio Science Occultation Experiment
This still is from a short computer-animated film that highlights Cassini's accomplishments and Saturn and reveals the science-packed final orbits between April and September 2017.
More
Iapetus and Saturn
Iapetus and Saturn
The Cassini spacecraft views Saturn with a selection of its moons in varying sizes. Saturn's largest moon, Titan, is in the center of the image. Titan is 5,150 kilometers, or 3,200 miles, across...
More
The Cassini spacecraft views Saturn with a selection of its moons in varying sizes.
Moons Small to Large
This graphic represents a possible model for mechanisms that could generate the water vapor and tiny ice particles detected by Cassini over the southern polar terrain on Enceladus. This model shows...
More
This graphic represents a possible model for mechanisms that could generate the water vapor and tiny ice particles detected by Cassini over the southern polar terrain on Enceladus. This model shows venting by plumes.
Modeling 'Warm' Ice on Enceladus
This illustration shows Cassini above Saturn's northern hemisphere prior to making one of its Grand Finale dives.
More
Illustration of Cassini over Saturn.
Cassini Over the Top (Illustration)

You Might Also Like