Cassini Spacecraft Manoeuvers Between Saturn's Rings (Live Image Updates)
New images of Saturn's rings are expected to be relayed back to earth today, April 27th 2017.
The manoeuvers have already been completed, but the antenna normally used to transmit data was being used to help protect the spacecraft's sensitive instruments. Images are expected to become available at 3:30am ET.
[Saturn's Rings Ultraviolet Spectrum]
[Titans Hydrocarbon Lakes]
[Saturn Moon Enceladus]
[Enceladus' Global Ocean]
First Images of Cassini between Saturn and its rings (April 27th)
[Unprocessed image of Saturn's Atmosphere]
(Updates will be added shortly)
Quick Facts - Cassini-Huygens Spacecraft
Mission to explore Saturn and Titan
Cassini's Mission is 13 years in the making
Largest interplanetary spacecraft ever built
Launch Date: October 15th 1997
Arrival at Saturn: July 1st 2004
Huygen probe landed on Saturn's moon Titan: January 14th 2005
Completed 4 gravity assisted swing-bys: 1998 (Venus), 1999 (Venus), 1999 (Earth), 2000 (Jupiter)
The gravity assisted swing-bys of Venus (2) and Earth (1) provided the equivalent of 68 040 kg of rocket fuel
Huygens heat shield can withstand temperatures of up to 18 000 degrees Celsius
The Gap between Saturn and it's rings is about 24, 000km
Cassini's Grand Finale: Plunging into Saturn's Atmosphere
22 scheduled dives
Final Plunge through Saturn's atmosphere on September 15 2017
The move is the first in what NASA is calling Cassini's Grand Finale, as it weaves its way between Saturn and its rings in a series of 22 dives that will culminate in what the agency describes as "a science-rich plunge into Saturn's atmosphere on Sept. 15."
Far out! I guess there were dinosaurs on Titan. Either that, or abiotic oil is a thing.
Wow! Great images, can't wait for more!
Thanks @richq11, I was under the impression that there may be more photos released today, but so far just a few black and whites.
Hopefully some new 'processed' images will be released soon!
Fascinating to see this... look forward to more photos as they become available.