NASA Saturn Mission Prepares for 'Ring-Grazing Orbits'
Please Log in to join the conversation.
Orbit 291 - August 30 - September 5
Cassini has just two orbits of Saturn remaining before the mission ends.
During this orbit, Cassini’s imaging cameras, the Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS), observes haze in Titan’s atmosphere, and the spacecraft’s Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph (UVIS) and Visible and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) instruments observe Saturn’s sunlit north polar auroral region.
The VIMS instrument and Cassini’s Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) work together to study Saturn’s atmosphere.
This is also the fourth of five orbits in which Cassini’s elliptical orbit carries it so low that the spacecraft passes briefly through Saturn’s atmosphere. Cassini’s reaction control thrusters are at the ready to correct the spacecraft’s orientation in case Saturn’s atmosphere pushes on the spacecraft hard enough to cause any rotation.
During the period in which the spacecraft is nearest Saturn, Cassini’s Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS) performs its third session directly sampling of Saturn’s upper atmosphere. The instrument measures densities of different species of molecular hydrogen, helium and a variety of ions in the immediate vicinity of the spacecraft.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
Featured Article Of The Week:
Click Here To View Article / Video / Enhanced Images
YouTube User: WhatsUpInTheSky37
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!
 |
    |
 |
      |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Follow Us:
Logon:
Latest Space Posts:
Latest News Posts:
Latest Articles:
- The Beautiful & Mysterious Martian Debris
- Strange Flower Looking Rock On Mars
- Perseverance Rover Following Ancient Walls / Waterways?
- Perseverance Rover Spots Dropped Abrasion Tool Test Bit
- Ancient Martian Artifacts All Around Perseverance Rover
- Perseverance Rover Stops To Look At Strange Object!
- What's Going On At WhatsUpInTheSky?
- THE EVIDENCE Episode #51 by MarsX3D
- THE EVIDENCE Episode #50 by MarsX3D
- THE EVIDENCE Episode #49 by MarsX3D
- THE EVIDENCE Episode #48 by MarsX3D
- THE EVIDENCE Episode #47 by MarsX3D
- THE EVIDENCE Episode #46 by MarsX3D
- THE EVIDENCE Episode #45 by MarsX3D
- THE EVIDENCE Episode #44 by MarsX3D
- THE EVIDENCE Episode #43 by MarsX3D
- THE EVIDENCE Episode #42 by MarsX3D
