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+--- Thread: Cassini Survives Its First Dive Between Saturn and its Rings (/thread-3588.html)
Cassini Survives Its First Dive Between Saturn and its Rings - C C - Apr 28, 2017
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/04/cassini-survives-first-dive/524472/
EXCERPT: [...] During the dive, Cassini came within about 1,900 miles, or 3,000 kilometers, of Saturn’s cloud tops and within about 200 miles, or 300 kilometers, of the visible edge of the inner rings, according to JPL. The spacecraft then whipped back and away from Saturn, completing its elliptical orbit. The maneuver marked the final stages for Cassini, which is running out of fuel after two decades away from Earth. Cassini will conduct 21 more of these dives, about once each week, getting closer and closer to the planet each time until it burns up in its atmosphere in mid-September. The next dive is scheduled for May 2....