Cassini - the final chapter

[martin_h]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-39672263

[elliot]

Nasa Eyes has a nice Cassini death throw simulator including tomorrow's final Titan flyby https://eyes.nasa.gov/

Edited April 21, 2017 by elliot

[barkis]

A fond farewell to Cassini. I think we owe a debt of thanks to those who designed, built
and controlled this amazing spacecraft throughout it's travels around  the Saturnian System.
It gathered so much in the way of Data and Superb Imagery, not to mention the trip to Titan to deposit 
the Huygens lander on the surface of that intriguing Moon.
It has been a pleasure to witness it all happening.
I hope it's death throes aren't too painful. .

[Pluto the Snowman]

22 hours ago, barkis said:

A fond farewell to Cassini. I think we owe a debt of thanks to those who designed, built
and controlled this amazing spacecraft throughout it's travels around  the Saturnian System.
It gathered so much in the way of Data and Superb Imagery, not to mention the trip to Titan to deposit 
the Huygens lander on the surface of that intriguing Moon.
It has been a pleasure to witness it all happening.
I hope it's death throes aren't too painful. .

 

IMO Cassini and Voyager 2 were the most significant spacecraft ever outside of Apollo. Voyager 2 has been the only spacecraft to have been to Neptune and Uranus, plus its also the only one to have visited 4 worlds beyond our own, an incredible tour and one we will likely never see again.

I am particularly fascinated by the Cassini mission for it being so long around Saturn, and it pulling off the most distant, and only landing in the outer solar system.  I believe its nice to think we still have some sort of reconnaissance out there. Are there any future plans for Saturn? I heard about Enceledus being upgraded to "most likely place in solar system to find life". Cant remember where tho, but wasnt it one of Jupiter's moons they wanted to drill into one day?

 

 

[barkis]

1 hour ago, Pluto the Snowman said:

 

IMO Cassini and Voyager 2 were the most significant spacecraft ever outside of Apollo. Voyager 2 has been the only spacecraft to have been to Neptune and Uranus, plus its also the only one to have visited 4 worlds beyond our own, an incredible tour and one we will likely never see again.

I am particularly fascinated by the Cassini mission for it being so long around Saturn, and it pulling off the most distant, and only landing in the outer solar system.  I believe its nice to think we still have some sort of reconnaissance out there. Are there any future plans for Saturn? I heard about Enceledus being upgraded to "most likely place in solar system to find life". Cant remember where tho, but wasn't it one of Jupiter's moons they wanted to drill into one day?

 

 

Reasonable to suspect there may be life underneath the frozen ocean that covers Enceladus.
Life in abundance has been seen below the Arctic Ocean, the floor where warm geysers eject Magma from beneath.
Perhaps the same conditions do exist that Frozen Moon. 
Some expedition that would be, but decades into the future methinks.
 

[Jeff-Colorado]

I was privileged to work on the Cassini mission for a short time several years ago here in Boulder, Colorado. It will be sad to see it plunge to its death. The discovery of the ocean on Enceladus was certainly among its great achievements.

I for one would like to see a much more aggressive timetable for exploring the oceans of Enceladus and Europa. I would prioritize that over sending people to Mars.

[Pluto the Snowman]

On 23/04/2017 at 08:43, barkis said:

Reasonable to suspect there may be life underneath the frozen ocean that covers Enceladus.
Life in abundance has been seen below the Arctic Ocean, the floor where warm geysers eject Magma from beneath.
Perhaps the same conditions do exist that Frozen Moon. 
Some expedition that would be, but decades into the future methinks.
 

Hopefully they will follow thro with budgets. Drilling into Europa is not really a technical one,,  but budget.  We have the knowledge minus a few years. War and defense is always gonna take precedence over exploration. I been watchin Dai Attenborough since I was a kid (and still do). What I learned is that creatures of all sizes and intellect want to dominate. They will explore, but for new territory to exploit their dominance. Hopefully the Trump, Jong Un thing will blow over (metaphorically, not literally)  and space stuff will continue. I do look forward to 2019 when NH reaches is secondary target.

 

 

[barkis]

Well, unfortunately Pluto,we can't delve into Politics, however tenuous the references may be.
As far as beyond Earth explorations, we have already had some fantastic adventures.|
We will crave for more and in time more will come, but funding is always the boss, and 
unless it is forthcoming, the wait can be a long one.
I would be happy for a Lunar return, and a base established, because like many others, 
I believe our satellite  to be a huge asset as a launch pad for future deeper space missions.
 

[Jeff-Colorado]

I'd happily pay some taxes to help establish a base on the Moon. It's a lot more practical than Mars.

[Moonshane]

Also the next logical step to allow more remote bases in due course.

[Davey-T]

I think a Moon base is the logical next step, while it may be more glamorous and headline catching to go to Mars it must be easier to go to Mars from an established base on the Moon.

Dave

[Nova2000]

Yes, moon base should be next mission. I don't care much about Mars to be frank. And we can't directly colonize Mars. Moon base will have a great scientific base. Cause of the low gravity and little or no atmosphere