NASA's Cassini

spacecraft set to embark on its final mission on - 13th August 2017

NASA's Cassini spacecraft is all set to start off on its final mission-five ultra-close orbits around
Saturn on 13th August 2017. This mission would be the spacecrafts last before it plunges into
the saturn atmosphere, bringing an end to its epic 20-year-long journey.
Important Highlights

It will make the first of the five close passes over Saturn at 9:22 p.m on 13th August.
The spacecraft is expected to encounter atmosphere dense enough to need the use of its
small rocket thrusters in order to maintain stability.
The conditions experienced by the spacecraft would be similar to those experienced by it
during many of its close orbits of Saturns moon Titan, which has its own dense
atmosphere.Speaking on the mission, Earl Maize, Cassini project manager at NASA's Jet
Propulsion Laboratory said that the spacecrafts many passes over Titan helped them
prepare for these rapid passes through Saturns upper atmosphere. "Thanks to our past
experience, the team is confident that we understand how the spacecraft will behave at
the atmospheric densities our models predict. said Maize.
He further added that the team will consider 14th August pass nominal if the thrusters
operate from 10 percent and 60 percent of their capability.
If these thrusters are forced to work harder, that will be an evidence of denser atmosphere
than models actually predict, then the engineers will be increasing the altitude of the
subsequent orbits.
"As it makes these five dips into Saturn, followed by its final plunge, Cassini will going
to become the first Saturn atmospheric probe," said Linda Spilker, Cassini project
scientist at JPL. She also stated that it has long been a goal in planetary exploration to
send a dedicated probe into the Saturn atmosphere and with this mission they would be
laying the groundwork for future exploration.