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NASA Saturn Mission Prepares for 'Ring-Grazing Orbits'
7 years 2 months ago - 7 years 2 months ago #9845
by ??
Replied by ?? on topic NASA Saturn Mission Prepares for 'Ring-Grazing Orbits'
Grand Finale Orbit #22
Orbit 292 — September 5-12
This is Cassini’s final full orbit of Saturn before the mission ends.
During this orbit, Cassini’s Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) and Visible and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) instruments work together to determine the abundance of helium in Saturn’s atmosphere.
This is the fifth 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 fourth session directly sampling 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.
The spacecraft’s RADAR and Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS) instruments also operate during the INMS observation, with RADAR continuing its study of ammonia in Saturn’s atmosphere and the ISS instrument capturing an iconic image of the rings seen looking outward from Saturn.
At the end of this orbit, Cassini makes a distant flyby of the Mercury-size moon Titan, whose gravity alters the spacecraft’s trajectory one final time. This gravitational nudge, which the team calls “the goodbye kiss,” ensures that the spacecraft is disposed of in a controlled manner. Instead of passing safely into and out of Saturn’s outermost atmosphere on the next orbit, Cassini will instead dip so deeply into the atmosphere that the spacecraft will burn up like a meteor.
Orbit 292 — September 5-12
This is Cassini’s final full orbit of Saturn before the mission ends.
During this orbit, Cassini’s Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) and Visible and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) instruments work together to determine the abundance of helium in Saturn’s atmosphere.
This is the fifth 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 fourth session directly sampling 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.
The spacecraft’s RADAR and Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS) instruments also operate during the INMS observation, with RADAR continuing its study of ammonia in Saturn’s atmosphere and the ISS instrument capturing an iconic image of the rings seen looking outward from Saturn.
At the end of this orbit, Cassini makes a distant flyby of the Mercury-size moon Titan, whose gravity alters the spacecraft’s trajectory one final time. This gravitational nudge, which the team calls “the goodbye kiss,” ensures that the spacecraft is disposed of in a controlled manner. Instead of passing safely into and out of Saturn’s outermost atmosphere on the next orbit, Cassini will instead dip so deeply into the atmosphere that the spacecraft will burn up like a meteor.
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7 years 2 months ago #9865
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7 years 2 months ago #9890
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7 years 2 months ago - 7 years 2 months ago #9907
by Todd
Replied by Todd on topic NASA Saturn Mission Prepares for 'Ring-Grazing Orbits'
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