NASA Saturn Mission Prepares for 'Ring-Grazing Orbits'
6 years 11 months ago #8651
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6 years 11 months ago - 6 years 11 months ago #8658
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6 years 11 months ago #8681
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Grand Finale Dive #4
During this Grand Finale orbit, Cassini’s visible-light camera, the Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS), observes Saturn’s most prominent ring propeller features.
Next, the Radio Science Subsystem (RSS) takes advantage of one of the best opportunities in the mission to conduct radio occultations of Saturn’s ring system and run a gravity experiment to study Saturn's gravitational field with unprecedented detail. The experiment aims to discover how spherical Saturn’s gravity field is, which helps scientists measure the mass of Saturn’s rings, a figure that is not precisely known.
During the radio science/gravity observations, the spacecraft’s Cosmic Dust Analyzer (CDA) scoops up and analyzes small ring particles to help determine the age of Saturn’s rings. Interplanetary meteoroids bombard Saturn’s main rings, depositing silicates, organics, and metals in the ring particles. The more of those contaminants the CDA finds, the older Saturn’s rings probably are.
During this orbit, Cassini gets within 1,650 miles (2,660 kilometers) of Saturn’s 1-bar level. Cassini also passes within 3,110 miles (5,000 kilometers) of the inner edge of Saturn’s D ring.
During this Grand Finale orbit, Cassini’s visible-light camera, the Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS), observes Saturn’s most prominent ring propeller features.
Next, the Radio Science Subsystem (RSS) takes advantage of one of the best opportunities in the mission to conduct radio occultations of Saturn’s ring system and run a gravity experiment to study Saturn's gravitational field with unprecedented detail. The experiment aims to discover how spherical Saturn’s gravity field is, which helps scientists measure the mass of Saturn’s rings, a figure that is not precisely known.
During the radio science/gravity observations, the spacecraft’s Cosmic Dust Analyzer (CDA) scoops up and analyzes small ring particles to help determine the age of Saturn’s rings. Interplanetary meteoroids bombard Saturn’s main rings, depositing silicates, organics, and metals in the ring particles. The more of those contaminants the CDA finds, the older Saturn’s rings probably are.
During this orbit, Cassini gets within 1,650 miles (2,660 kilometers) of Saturn’s 1-bar level. Cassini also passes within 3,110 miles (5,000 kilometers) of the inner edge of Saturn’s D ring.
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6 years 11 months ago #8724
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6 years 11 months ago #8751
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Grand Finale Dive #5
During this orbit, Cassini gets within 1,680 miles (2,700 kilometers) of Saturn’s 1-bar level. Cassini also passes within 3,120 miles (5,010 kilometers) of the inner edge of Saturn’s D ring.
This orbit, like the previous one, is one of the best opportunities in the mission for the Radio Science Subsystem (RSS) to conduct radio occultations of Saturn’s ring system and run a gravity experiment to study Saturn's gravitational field with unprecedented detail. The experiment helps clarify how spherical Saturn’s gravity field is, but also helps scientists measure the mass of Saturn’s rings, a figure that is not precisely known.
And as with the previous orbit, the spacecraft’s Cosmic Dust Analyzer (CDA) scoops up and analyzes ring particles — this time larger ring particles rather than the relatively small particles — to help determine the age of Saturn’s rings. Interplanetary meteoroids bombard Saturn’s main rings, depositing silicates, organics, and metals in the ring particles. The more of those contaminants the CDA finds, the older Saturn’s rings probably are.
Also on this orbit, the spacecraft’s Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS), Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS), and Visible and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) observe and map Saturn’s atmosphere, studying the different temperatures of the atmospheric layers, as well as the atmosphere’s composition.
During this orbit, Cassini gets within 1,680 miles (2,700 kilometers) of Saturn’s 1-bar level. Cassini also passes within 3,120 miles (5,010 kilometers) of the inner edge of Saturn’s D ring.
This orbit, like the previous one, is one of the best opportunities in the mission for the Radio Science Subsystem (RSS) to conduct radio occultations of Saturn’s ring system and run a gravity experiment to study Saturn's gravitational field with unprecedented detail. The experiment helps clarify how spherical Saturn’s gravity field is, but also helps scientists measure the mass of Saturn’s rings, a figure that is not precisely known.
And as with the previous orbit, the spacecraft’s Cosmic Dust Analyzer (CDA) scoops up and analyzes ring particles — this time larger ring particles rather than the relatively small particles — to help determine the age of Saturn’s rings. Interplanetary meteoroids bombard Saturn’s main rings, depositing silicates, organics, and metals in the ring particles. The more of those contaminants the CDA finds, the older Saturn’s rings probably are.
Also on this orbit, the spacecraft’s Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS), Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS), and Visible and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) observe and map Saturn’s atmosphere, studying the different temperatures of the atmospheric layers, as well as the atmosphere’s composition.
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6 years 11 months ago #8795
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Thank you to everyone who has stuck by the YouTube channel and to all of our admins and forum users here on the channel. They really have kept the website current while I have been busy taking care of things in my personal life. I promised that the next video would be a long one and have a LOT to look at. You can get lost in these Gigapans and I really hope that you do! I spent a lot of time stitching these together and making sure that they were the best quality that I could get them. SOL 1448 really has been a goldmine for anomaly hunters and those people who are just hobbiest. I really hope you enjoy this one and expect much more to come from the latest batches of images!
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